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''ENTER  INTO  THY  CLOSET:'* 


OB 


SECRET  PRAYER, 


ATSJi 


ITS  ACCOMPANllNG  EXERCISES. 


INTEIJDED 

TO   ASSIST   YOUNG    PERSONS    AND    OTHERS    IN   ACQUIR- 
ING  DEVOTIONAL    HABITS,    WITHOUT    THE    AID    OP 
WRITTEN    FORMS. 


THE  REV.  JAIES  M'GILL, 

HIQHTAE,    LOCHMABEX. 


PHILADELPHIA : 
PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION 


PREPACE. 

Some  explanation  is  perhaps  due  by  the  pre- 
sent writer,  in  offering  his  thoughts  to  the 
pubUc  on  a  subject  on  which  so  much  has 
already  been  written. 

Of  the  many  works  in  existence  having 
reference  to  the  subject  of  devotion,  some 
are  theological  treatises,  in  which  the  exer- 
cise of  prayer  is  examined  in  its  abstract  re- 
lations, and  shown  to  be  consistent  with  rea- 
son, as  well  as  required  by  Christianity ; 
others  contain  examples  of  dgyout  medita- 
tions, intended  to  be  directly  employed  in  the 
worship  of  God ;  whilst  the  object  of  a  third 
class  is  to  exhibit  persuasives  to  the  duty  of 
prayer,  with  hints  and  directions  as  to  its 
profitable  performance. 

The  present  humble  production  is  most 
nearly  allied  to  publications  of  this  last  de- 
scription.    Wholly  practical  in  its  design,  it 

takes  for  granted  the  efficacy  of  prayer,  as  a 

iii 


IV  PREFACE. 

truth  which  cannot  be  doubted  without  de- 
nying the  authority  of  scripture,  and  even 
the  first  principles  of  natural  religion  as  em- 
bodied in  the  superstitions  of  all  nations ;  but 
it  aims  not  to  investigate  the  philosophy  of 
devotion,  or  to  illustrate  the  question,  more 
curious  than  useful,  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  prayer  becomes  efficacious.  On  the 
other  hand,  although  intended  as  a  compa- 
nion for  the  closet,  it  is  not  what  is  usually 
called  a  Manual  of  devotion ;  but  proceeds 
upon  the  principle,  that  the  gift  of  prayer 
may  easily  be  acquired  by  any  one  who,  with 
the  Bible  in  his  hands,  will  think  seriously  of 
what  he  does  when  he  ventures  to  address 
the  Father  of  mercies. 

The  distinction  between  teaching  and  train- 
ing, is  now  well  understood.  The  one  in- 
cludes merely  the  communication  of  know- 
ledge, the  other  embraces  the  regulation  of 
the  mind,  and  the  development  of  character. 
This  distinction  supplies  a  hint  as  to  the  dif- 
ferent ways  in  which  divine  truth  may  be 
presented,  and  religious  duties  inculcated  :  in 
the  doing  of  which  the  course  pursued  must 
vary,  according  as  we  wish  to  communicate 
information,  or  to  assist  in  the  production  of 


PREFACE.  V 

habits.  The  title-page  has  already  intimated 
that  the  latter,  rather  than  the  former,  is  the 
object  which  has  been  attempted  to  be  kept 
in  view  in  the  following  pages. 

It  is  obviously  of  no  moment  what  are  a 
man's  views  or  opinions  on  the  subject  of  de- 
votion, if  the  duty  itself  is  neglected.  It  is 
the  person  who  desires  instruction,  with  the 
direct  purpose  of  reducing  it  to  practice,  who 
is  really  on  the  way  to  improvement.  He 
who  seeks  to  know  what  he  ought  to  do, 
with  the  design  of  doing  it,  will  make  most 
progress  in  the  knowledge  both  of  truth  and 
duty.  The  words  of  our  Lord,  on  a  some- 
what different  subject,  disclose  a  principle 
which  runs  through  the  whole  of  religion  : — 
"  If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know 
the  doctrines."  If  a  man  would  understand 
and  appreciate  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of 
Christianity,  let  him  surrender  his  heart  and 
life  to  their  guidance. 

Skaikfield,  Lochmabejt, 
January,  1843. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Forms  of  prayer  useful,  yet  very  often  injurious— The  right  state 
of  the  heart  the  great  object— The  person  should  express  what 
he  really  feels,    -------       Page  11—17. 

CHAPTER  n. 

DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY. 

Religious  exercises,  public  and  private,  suited  to  the  nature  of 
man — Solitude  an  evil,  yet  retirement  an  advantage — Whatever 
requires  close  attention  must  engage  our  thoughts  when  alone — 
Religion  a  personal  and  private  concern — Every  one  has  feel- 
ings to  express  which  are  known  only  to  himself — In  the  closet 
we  may  ascertain  whether  the  fervour  experienced  in  praying 
with  others  is  genuine — Scriptures  can  be  searched,  and  self- 
examination  practised,  only  in  retirement — Duties  of  the  closet 
most  intimately  connected  with  the  interests  of  the  soul — Our 
Lord's  command — His  own  example — Directions  to  persons  un- 
accustomed to  prayer,        -----       Page  18 — 45. 

CHAPTER  m. 

SECRET  PRAYER. 
Seasons  of  prayer — Importance  of  having  a  fixed  time  and  place 
— This  not  inconsistent  with  cultivating  habitually  a  devotional 
frame — Morning  and  evening — Other  portions  of  time  occasion- 
ally set  apart — Secret  prayer  should  be  offered  intelligently,  sin- 
cerely, deliberately — With  special  reference  to  the  promises 
of  the  divine  word' — Through  Jesus  Christ  —  Encouragement 
thus  afforded  may  not  at  first  be  realized — Exhortation  to  perse- 
vere,     Page  46—73. 

vii 


VIU  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

ADORATION. 

Distinction  between  adoration  and  thanksgiving — ^The  glory  of 
God  the  great  end  of  all  creatures  and  of  all  worship — Man's 
duty  to  glorify  God — Especially  by  the  direct  homage  of  praise 
— Scripture  examples — Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel — The 
same  sentiment  in  the  days  of  Malachi — The  book  of  Psalms — 
God's  moral  attributes — Celebrated  by  seraphim— By  saints  on 
earth — By  our  Lord  on  the  cross — Directions — Meditate — Try 
to  adopt  the  language  of  scripture  as  your  own — Begin  by  think- 
ing of  God's  natural  perfections,        -        -        -        Page  74—98. 


CHAPTER  V. 

CONFESSION. 

Connection  between  confession  of  sin  and  forgiveness — No  merit 
in  confession — Directions  to  a  person  concerned  about  his  soul 
— Is  not  aware  how  much  he  has  to  confess — Begin  by  confess- 
ing one  sin  at  a  lime — Controversy  with  God  thus  brought  to  a 
point — Sin  that  has  been  confessed  must  be  forsaken — Case  of  a 
person  afterwards  falling  into  the  same  sin — Gradual  experi- 
ence of  the  wickedness  of  the  heart — Besetting  sins — Aggrava- 
tions of  sin, Page  99—122. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

PETITION. 

Petition  refers  to  our  condition  as  needy — Two  things  to  be  con- 
sidered, what  we  should  ask,  and  in  what  manner — Many  ask 
without  knowing  what  they  want — God's  knowledge  of  our 
wants  does  not  justify  our  ignorance — The  Lord's  prayer  a  rule 
in  offering  petitions — Blessings  of  which  the  returning  sinner 
stands  immediately  in  need — Pardon  of  sin — Near  relation  to 
God — Hope  of  reconciliation — Faith,  love,  and  penitence — Sane 
tification — Strength  to  perform  duty  and  resist  temptation — A 
blessing  on  the  ordinances,  and  the  dispensations  of  providence 
— Relation  of  this  part  of  prayer  to  Christ — Discovery  of  Christ 
to  the  soul — Influences  of  the  Spirit — The  prayer  of  faith— Re 
ference  to  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  petitioner, 

Page  123-159. 


CONTENTS.  IX 

CHAPTER  VII. 

THANKSGIVING. 

Thanksgiving  neglected  by  many  who  offer  petitions — Has  refer- 
ence to  the  goodness  of  God,  in  creation,  providence,  grace, 
special  deliverances — Psalm  cvii. — All  God's  dealings  with  his 
people  lead  to  praise — Address  to  a  person  who  cannot  feel 
tliankful  for  spiritual  blessings — Relation  of  thanksgiving  to  the 
character  and  work  of  Christ — To  the  dealings  of  God  with  the 
Church — To  events  in  private  life — To  our  present  circum- 
stances,      Page  160—179. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

SELF  DEDICATION. 

Self-Dedication  practised  by  every  Christian— At  the  beginning 
of  his  religious  course,  and  afterwards — Ought  regularly  to  form 
part  of  secret  devotion — Every  act  of  divine  worship  implies  the 
principle  of  covenanting — Objections  answered — Remarks  sug- 
gested by  the  objection  that  it  encourages  a  legal  spirit — Case 
of  a  person  breaking  his  covenant  with  God — Advice  to  such  a 
person — Advantages  of  daily  renewing  our  covenant — Address 
to  one  who  has  never  given  himself  to  God,         Page  180 — 197. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

INTERCESSION. 

Duty  and  privilege  of  praying  for  others  in  their  absence — Inter- 
cession of  Christ — Intercession  the  duty  of  ministers — Never- 
theless, the  duty  also  of  private  Christians — We  are  required  to 
pray  for  all  men — Some  have  special  claims — Relation  between 
a  pastor  and  his  flock — Advantages  of  mutual  intercession — The 
apostle  Paul  and  those  among  whom  he  laboured — Prayer  for 
the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  —  Connection  between 
prayer  for  ourselves  and  for  others — Parents  should  pray  for 
their  children  individually — Address  to  one  unaccustomed  to 
this  exercise,    ---.---        Page  198—217. 

CHAPTER  X. 

READING  THE  SCRIPTURES. 
Scriptures  may  be  read  from  various  motives— Devotional  reading 


X  CONTENTS. 

explained— Many  neglect  this  who  do  not  wholly  omit  secret 
prayer— Should  form  regularly  a  part  of  devotion— Requires 
time  and  self-denial — Even  this  an  advantage — Spiritual  profit- 
Christ  in  the  word— Superiority  of  the  word  of  God  to  the  best 
human  wrtitings — Scriptures  should  be  studied  by  the  people  as 
well  as  by  ministers — Man)ier  of  reading  the  Bible — Advantages 
of  a  systematic  plan — Let  the  same  portion  be  read  over  two  or 
three  times — The  attempt  of  an  individual  to  ascertain  how  far 
his  feelings  correspond  with  those  of  the  inspired  writers  exem- 
plified— We  should  seek  the  temper  and  habits  described — 
Should  be  grateful  for  our  privileges  as  Protestants, 

Page  218—243. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

WATCHFULNESS. 

Watchfulness  often  enjoined— Its  connection  with  prayer — Ene- 
mies to  be  guarded  against — We  ought  to  guard  the  regular 
seasons  of  prayer — To  watch  for  special  opportunities — Against 
hinderances,  direct  and  indirect — Against  the  first  approaches 
to  neglect— Against  impure  motives — Danger  of  self-deception — 
Promise  attached  to  judging  ourselves — If  we  will  not  judge 
ourselves  God  will  judge  us — He  searches  the  heart  and  char- 
acter— Often  conducts  this  search  by  means  of  his  providence, 

Page  244-265. 

CHAPTER  Xn. 

CONCLUSION. 

Importance  of  the  subject  ireated  in  the  preceding  pages — Hypo 
crites  deficient  in  the  duty  of  prayer — Neglect  of  prayer  ex- 
ceedingly wicked — Would  be  better  even  for  Christians  if  they 
were  more  prayerful — Wise  and  merciful  purposes  served  by 
the  institution  of  prayer — A  life  of  prayer  does  not  imply  an  as- 
cetic temper — Connection  between  believing  prayer  and  active 
duties — Public  and  social  prayer  not  to  be  neglected — Devotion 
does  not  disqualify  for  taking  part  in  public  questions, 

Page  266—276. 


SECRET  PEAYER. 

AND 

ITS  ACCOMPANYING  EXEECISES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

A  CONSIDERABLE  Humber  of  works  have,  within 
the  last  few  years,  been  given  to  the  pubhc, 
with  the  design  of  assisting  serious  persons 
m  conducting  devotional  exercises.  These 
works  consist,  for  the  most  part,  of  forms  of 
prayer,  and  are  in  many  respects  valuable. 
They  are  calculated  to  encourage  those  to 
maintain  the  worship  of  God  in  their  families, 
and  perhaps  also  in  their  closets,  who,  with- 
out such  assistance,  might  be  in  danger  of 
neglecting  such  duties  altogether.  Even  to 
persons  who  have  cultivated  the  gift  of  ex- 
temporaneous prayer,  the  works  to  which  we 
allude  may  not  be  vtrithout  their  use.  A  writ- 
ten composition,  expressing  in  a  simple,  pei- 
spicuous,  and  accurate  manner,  the  thoughts 
and  desires  that  are  suitable  in  the  presence 
of  God,  is  always  entitled  to  attention,  and 

11 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

cannot  fail  to  repay  a  serious  and  careful 
perusal. 

But  with  all  their  advantages,  written  forms 
of  prayer  are  very  often  productive  of  injury. 
They  are  excellent  as  helps ;  but,  like  every 
other  kind  of  aid,  they  are  in  danger  of  being 
too  much  relied  upon,  and  of  thus  increasing, 
rather  than  diminishing,  the  weakness  they 
are  intended  to  assist.  When  constantly  em- 
ployed, they  cannot  but  prevent  the  feehngs 
of  the  heart  from  having  that  free  and  spon- 
taneous exercise,  which  properly  belongs  to 
prayer.  The  business  of  devotion  is  liable  to 
degenerate  into  mere  ceremony,  and  to  be 
considered  as  a  task,  which  those  engaged  in 
it  are  glad  when  they  have  finished.  When 
prayers  have  been  read,  there  is  a  danger  of 
resting  in  the  mere  external  performance  of 
the  duty,  as  if  the  end  of  devotion  were  gain- 
ed when  the  observance  is  concluded.  It  is 
apt  to  be  forgotten  that  prayer  is  not  properly 
engaged  in,  unless  the  person  is  made  to  feel 
himself  transacting  immediately  with  God, 
and  laying  bare  all  his  thoughts  and  feelings, 
his  cares  and  anxieties,  and  the  most  secret 
movements  of  his  soul,  in  the  presence  of  the 
Searcher  of  hearts. 

The  connection  existing  in  the  mind  be- 
tween language  and  ideas,  becomes  less  dis- 
tinct in  proportion  to  the  frequency  with 
which  the  language  is  repeated.  The  con- 
stant use  of  the  same  words  and  phrases,  al- 
though it  calls  up  by  association  a  certain  feel- 
ing of  seriousness,  tends  gradually  to  withdraw 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

the  mind  from  the  sentiments  and  desires 
which  the  words  are  intended  to  represent. 
Expressions  which  at  first  could  not  be  pro- 
nounced without  striking  the  mind  as  full  of 
significance,  are,  in  consequence  of  the  ear 
having  become  accustomed  to  tlie  sound,  read 
or  listened  to  without  emotion,  and  with 
scarcely  a  perception  of  their  meaning.  This 
is  an  evil  to  which  many,  indeed,  are  liable 
who  do  not  employ  written  forms  of  prayer. 
Through  long  usage,  they  fall  insensibly,  into 
the  same  train  of  expressions  along  which 
they  have  often  travelled  before,  and  the  ideas 
they  utter,  are  less  and  less  distinctly  perceiv- 
ed or  attended  to.  But  much  more  must  this 
disadvantage  attach  to  those,  who  never  ven- 
ture to  address  the  throne  of  grace  without 
the  aid  of  a  previously  prepared  composition. 
There  is  also  reason  to  apprehend  that 
forms  of  prayer  are  unfavourable  to  that 
habit  of  self-examination,  which  is  so  essen- 
tially connected  with  the  life  of  true  religion, 
and  with  all  the  exercises  of  devotion.  Faith, 
repentance,  and  almost  every  other  precious 
principle,  imply  on  the  part  of  their  possessor 
an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  state  of  his 
own  heart;  and  this  acquaintance  is  not  to 
be  obtained  without  habitual  scrutiny.  In 
regard  to  devotional  exercises,  neither  confes- 
sion of  sin,  thanksgiving  for  mercies  received, 
nor  petition  for  a  fresh  supply  of  blessings, 
can  be  properly  offered,  except  as  the  result 
of  a  close  and  faithful  self-inspection.  It  is 
only  thus  that  we  can  be  distinctly  aware  of 

2 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

what  sins  we  have  to  confess,  what  mercies 
to  be  thankful  for,  and  what  blessings  to  soli- 
cit. We  do  not  deny  that  self-examination 
may  be  practised  by  many  who  make  use 
of  written  compositions  in  prayer.  Their 
thoughts  may  be  directed  to  their  own  par- 
ticular circumstances,  whilst  using  the  gene- 
ral language  of  the  book.  But  there  is,  at 
least,  a  danger  that  it  may  be  otherwise ;  as 
their  mode  of  addressing  the  throne  of  grace 
does  not,  in  any  peculiar  way,  remind  them 
of  the  obligation  to  look  within.  They  are 
not  under  the  necessity  of  reviewing  their 
spiritual  condition,  and  examining  in  minute 
detail  their  daily  sins,  and  wants,  and  mer- 
cies. 

It  is  the  object  of  the  following  pages  to 
afford  assistance  to  serious  persons,  and  es- 
pecially to  youthful  enquirers,  in  regard  to 
personal  and  secret  devotion ;  but  the  assis- 
tance we  propose  to  offer  is  of  a  kind  differ- 
ent from  that  afforded  by  the  use  of  forms  of 
prayer.  The  power  of  expressing  his  thoughts 
with  propriety  in  extemporaneous  prayer,  is 
what  every  individual  of  ordinary  abilities, 
who  is  tolerably  acquainted  with  the  scrip- 
tures, is  capable  of  attaining.  Of  course  no 
instruction  can  enable  an  uneducated  person 
to  express  himself  in  addressing  his  Maker, 
any  more  than  in  conversing  with  his  fellow^s, 
in  the  language  which  would  suggest  itself  to 
a  man  of  education.  But  this  is  not  neces- 
sary, nor  even  desirable.  A  familiarity  with 
the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  Christianity,  and 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

a  personal  experience  of  the  power  of  the 
truth  upon  the  heart  and  character,  may  be 
possessed  by  the  poor  as  well  as  by  the  rich, 
by  those  whose  attainments  in  secular  learn- 
ing are  slender,  as  well  as  by  the  most  scien- 
titic  and  erudite  ;  and  the  same  may  be  said  of 
the  gift  of  prayer.  The  man,  whatever  his  cir- 
cumstances, who  has  been  taught  to  look  up 
unto  God  as  his  Father,  and  has  become  pos- 
sessed of  the  spirit  of  adoption,  will  easily  ac- 
quire the  habit  of  using  language  appropriate 
to  his  devotional  feelings. 

The  great  object  to  be  kept  in  view  is  to 
have  the  heart  brought  into  a  right  state.  If 
this  object  is  lost  sight  of,  no  assistance  that 
can  be  offered  will  be  of  any  real  value ;  and 
no  doubt  one  way  of  promoting  this  end  is  by 
the  study  of  devotional  writings.  We  do  not 
recommend  that  forms  of  prayer  should  either 
be  read  at  the  time  of  devotion,  or  that  they 
should  be  previously  committed  to  memory, 
to  be  then  repeated.  They  should  be  care- 
fully read  at  other  times,  in  order  that  the 
mind  may  be  stored  with  the  truths,  and  im- 
bued with  the  sentiments  which  they  contain  ; 
but  when  prayer  is  actually  engaged  in,  the 
mind  ought  to  be  occupied  neither  with  the 
perusal  of  a  book,  nor  with  the  recollecting 
of  expressions  that  have  been  carefully  learn- 
ed, but  with  the  simple  contemplation  of  the 
great  Object  of  worship,  and  of  the  circum 
stances  in  which  we  stand  before  him. 

It  is  often  astonishing  with  what  propriety 
even  an  uneducated  man  will  express  himself 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

on  any  subject  which  he  perfectly  understands, 
especially   if    it    be   one   which    powerfully 
aw^akens  his  feelings ;  and  there  is  no  instance 
in  which  this  remark  is  more  frequently  illus- 
trated than  in  the  extemporaneous  prayers  of 
the  pious  poor.     Nor  ought  it  to  escape  ob- 
servation, that  those  who  are  in  the  habit  of 
using  written  forms,  are,  for  the  most  part, 
serious   persons    belonging   to   the   educated 
classes,  the  very  persons  who  might  be  sup- 
posed to  stand  least  in  need  of  such  assist- 
ance ;  as  if  by  some  strange  perversion,  edu- 
cation acted  as  a  hindrance  to  the  free  utter- 
ance of  the  heart  before  God.     It  is  not,  how- 
ever, so  difficult  to  account  for  this  as  might 
at  first  be  imagined.     Persons  accustomed  to 
the  use  of  correct  language,  are  necessarily 
more  fastidious  than  others,  both  in  the  ar- 
rangement  and   in   the  expression   of  their 
thoughts;    and   this  precision  can  easily  be 
supposed  to  interfere  with  that  unrestrained 
fervour  in  which  individuals  of  humble  sta- 
tion, and  unlettered  in  every  thing  but  the 
truths  and  the  devotion  of  the  Bible,  are  ac- 
customed to  indulge.     In  all  cases,  however, 
it  is  most  desirable  that  the  attention  should 
be  withdrawn  as  much  as  possible  from  mere 
words ;  and  for  this  end  it  is  necessary  that 
the  mind  be  fully  occupied  with  those  feelings 
and  desires  which  are  proper  to  the  exercise. 
Better,  far  better,  that  forms  of  prayer  should 
be  used,  than  that  devotional  duties  should  be 
neglected  altogether.     And  it  may  be  some 
time  before  individuals  accustomed  to  their 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

use,  may  be  able  to  lay  them  aside  when 
praying  in  the  presence  of  others,  even  al- 
though these  others  should  be  only  the  mem- 
bers of  their  own  domestic  circle.  But  in 
secret,  where  no  ear  hears  but  the  ear  of  the 
Eternal,  and  no  eye  sees  but  the  eye  of  Him 
that  seeth  in  secret,  every  one  can  and  ought 
to  acquire  the  habit  of  expressing,  before  the 
great  Object  of  worship,  the  actual  state  of 
his  heart — the  sentiments  which  he  really  en- 
tertains. This  we  believe  to  lie  at  the  foun- 
dation of  all  saving  acquaintance  with  God. 


CHAPTER  II. 

DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY. 

The  command  of  our  Lord,  "  Enter  into  thy 
closet,"  taken  in  connexion  with  the  precept 
of  an  inspired  apostle,  "  Forsake  not  the  as- 
sembling of  yourselves  together,"  furnishes 
one  among  many  proofs  of  the  perfect  adap- 
tation of  the  gospel  to  the  nature  of  man.  It 
is  quite  an  error  to  suppose  that  Christianity 
requires  any  of  her  disciples  to  assume  the 
character  of  a  recluse,  and  to  shut  himself  out 
from  all  intercourse  with  his  fellow  creatures. 
This  would  imply  such  a  cruel  violence  to 
human  nature,  and  is  so  directly  at  variance 
with  all  our  most  deeply  rooted  feelings,  that 
it  might  justly  have  been  considered  an  objec- 
tion to  the  truth  of  our  religion,  had  it  really 
required  any  thing  so  unreasonable.  The 
gospel  is  adapted  to  man,  and  far  from  doing 
violence  to  his  nature,  is  admirably  suited  to 
his  real  wants ;  insomuch  that  few  employ- 
ments are  more  delightful  than  that  of  tracing 
the  perfect  harmony  existing  between  the 
feelings  of  our  hearts,  and  the  circumstances 
in  which  we  are  placed,  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  whole  scheme  of  Christianity  with  its  doc- 
trines, precepts,  ordinances,  and  promises,  on 
the  other. 

18 


DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY.    19 

A  little  reflection  will  serve  to  render  it 
obvious  that  man,  in  order  to  be  happy,  or  in 
other  words,  that  the  powers  and  susceptibili- 
ties of  his  nature  may  be  called  into  the 
fullest  and  most  healthful  exercise,  must  nei- 
ther exist  in  absolute  solitude,  nor  live  con- 
tinually in  the  company  of  others.  He  must 
neither  be  excluded  from  society,  nor  denied 
the  advantages  of  retirement.  It  is  diflicult 
to  determine  whether  the  influence  of  sympa- 
thy, or  of  meditation,  is  the  more  indispensa- 
ble. Both  are  essential  to  the  preservation 
of  his  powers  in  a  state  of  vigorous  activity, 
and  healthful  enjoyment.  He  must  spend 
some  portion  of  his  time  alone,  and  he  must 
also  have  those  around  him  with  whom  he 
can  have  unrestrained  intercourse,  and  who 
stand  to  him  in  relations  more  or  less  intimate 
and  endeared  ;  otherwise  he  can  neither  make 
that  improvement,  nor  exert  that  influence, 
nor  enjoy  that  happiness,  of  which  he  is 
capable. 

If  therefore  the  duties  required  by  our  re- 
ligion were  exclusively  either  of  a  public  or 
of  a  private  nature,  in  other  words,  if  the 
social  principle  were  either  solely  addressed 
or  altogether  overlooked  by  the  ordinances 
of  Christianity,  this  circumstance  might  pro- 
perly beget  a  suspicion  as  to  wiiether  it  were 
really  of  Divine  origin.  When,  however,  we 
find  the  fact  to  be  just  the  reverse,  when  we 
find  that  in  this,  as  in  every  other  instance, 
the  scriptures  are  adapted  to  the  actual  nature 
and  feelings  of  man,  that  Christianity  requires 


20         DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

US  to  meet  together  to  observe  certain  of  its 
ordinances,  and  to  retire  to  our  closets  in 
order  to  observe  others — that  in  some  of  our 
religious  exercises  we  are  permitted  to  taste 
the  sweets  of  social  intercourse,  and  in  others 
we  are  required  to  commune  with  our  own 
hearts — that  we  are,  on  the  one  hand,  ad- 
dressed by  the  precept,  "  Forsake  not  the  as- 
sembling of  yourselves  together,"  a  precept 
which  we  have  the  most  abundant  encourage- 
ment to  observe  from  our  Lord's  own  promise, 
"  Wherever  two  or  three  are  met  together  in 
my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them;" 
and,  on  the  other,  by  the  injunction,  *'  Come 
my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  shut 
thy  doors  about  thee,"  an  injunction  to  which 
also  a  most  precious  promise  is  annexed  by 
the  Saviour,  in  the  words,  "  Enter  into  thy 
closet  and  shut  thy  door,  and  pray  to  thy 
Father  who  is  in  secret,  and  thy  Father  who 
seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly :" — 
such  an  admirable  adaptation  of  the  religion 
of  the  Bible  to  the  character  and  feelings  of 
man,  conveys  a  most  encouraging  assurance 
that  the  Author  of  nature  is  also  the  Author  of 
Christianity,  that  the  doctrines  which  we  be- 
lieve, are  of  divine  origin,  that  the  truths  of 
scripture  may  be  confidently  relied  upon,  and 
its  promises  most  safely  trusted. 

There  are  two  considerations  which  may 
be  regarded  as  illustrating  the  propriety,  and 
the  wisdom,  of  the  command  enjoining  atten- 
tion to  the  duties  of  the  closet.  In  the  first 
place,  any  thing  that  requires  very  deep  and 


DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY.  21 

serious  consideration,  must  wean  our  thoughts 
when  we  are  quite  alone.  Every  one  accus- 
tomed to  observe  the  operations  of  his  own 
mind,  must  have  remarked  the  difference  be- 
tween that  exercise  of  the  faculties  which  is 
excited  by  conversation  and  intercourse  with 
our  fellow-men,  and  that  which  takes  place 
when  we  earnestly  pursue  some  truth,  or 
prosecute  some  train  of  thought,  or  indulge 
some  favourite  meditation  in  sohtude.  To  be 
preserved  in  a  healthful  condition,  the  mind 
must  exist  occasionally  in  both  stales  ;  but  it 
is  evident  that  the  deeper  and  more  important 
exercises  of  our  powers,  as  well  as  our  own 
true  interests  in  regard  even  to  the  present 
world,  require  that  we  should  cultivate  retire- 
ment. The  man  who  has  been  little  alone, 
who  has  all  his  life  been,  more  accustomed  to 
speak  than  to  think,  who  knows  not  what  it  is 
to  commune  with  his  own  heart,  has  never 
thought  very  deeply  on  any  subject,  and 
there  is  the  greatest  reason  to  fear  that  those 
subjects  which  have  the  highest  claims  upon 
his  attention  have  been  altogether  overlooked. 
Now,  in  order  to  engage  aright  in  the 
worship  of  God,  we  must  have  some  know- 
ledge of  his  character,  and  some  knowledge 
also  of  the  relation  in  which  we  stand  to  him; 
and  our  knowledge  upon  both  subjects  must 
be  of  that  kind  which  is  only  to  be  obtained 
by  deep  and  serious  meditation.  The  charac- 
ter of  the  great  Jehovah  ;  his  natural  attributes 
of  eternity,  omnipresence,  immutability,  al- 
mighty power,  and  infinite  wisdom ;  his  moral 


22  DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

perfections  of  holiness,  justice,  and  faithfulness, 
and  his  gracious  attributes  of  goodness,  love, 
and  mercy,  present  a  vast  field  for  contem- 
plation and  reflection,  and  are  more  than  suf- 
ficient to  furnish  abundance  of  employment 
for  our  solitary  hours.  Besides,  there  are  the 
relations  in  which  this  great  Being  stands  to 
us,  and  the  claims  upon  our  worship  and 
homage  which  most  rightly  belong  to  him  as 
our  Creator,  Preserver,  Governor,  and  Judge. 
There  is  also  the  fact  that  we  are  sinners 
both  by  nature  and  practice,  who  have  broken 
the  divine  law  times  innumerable,  in  thought, 
word,  and  deed,  for  every  one  of  which  oflfences 
we  are  justly  liable  to  the  Divine  displeasure ; 
together  with  the  precious  truth  that  God  is 
oftering  us  pardon  and  forgiveness  through 
the  blood  of  his  Son,  and  has  provided  the 
Spirit  to  enlighten,  renew,  and  sanctify  our 
hearts,  and  thus  to  render  us  meet  for  the 
presence  and  enjoyment  of  God  in  a  future 
world.  These  are  all  subjects  on  which  we 
certainly  may,  and  ought  to  converse  with 
others  ;  but  to  which  we  are  not  applying  our 
minds  in  a  proper  manner,  unless  we  study 
them  in  the  closet,  and  review  them  upon  our 
knees  in  secret. 

But,  in  the  second  place,  the  very  nature 
of  our  devotional  exercises  shows  that  they 
must  be  performed  alone,  otherwise  they  are 
not  rightly  performed  at  all.  Religion  is  a 
private  and  a  personal  concern ;  every  one  is 
related  to  God  as  an  individual,  and  is  person- 
ally a  subject  of  his  law  and  government. 


DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY.    23 

The  offers  of  the  gospel,  if  really  received, 
must  be  received  by  each  one  for  himself. 
No  one  can  believe  or  repent  for  another ; 
the  parent  cannot  believe  for  the  child,  tne 
husband  for  the  wife,  the  friend  for  the  friend. 
Each  individual  must  himself  transact  with 
God,  as  much  so  as  if  there  were  not  another 
creature  needing  salvation  in  the  universe. 
We  do  indeed  sometimes  speak  of  the  sins  of 
communities  provoking  public  judgments,  and 
calling  for  national  humiliation ;  but  these  sins 
are  nothing  else  than  the  sins  of  the  individuals 
of  whom  the  community  consists ;  and,  what- 
ever may  be  the  Divine  dispensations  in  the 
present  world,  the  ultimate,  the  final  result, 
will  simply  amount  to  this,  that  by  each  indi- 
vidual for  himself  the  pardon  must  have  been 
accepted  in  time,  or  the  punishment  must  be 
endured  in  eternity. 

Besides,  every  one  has  sins  to  confess,  and 
mercies  for  which  to  be  thankful,  and  bless- 
ings of  which  he  stands  in  need,  and  manifold 
feelings  to  unbosom,  desires,  sorrows,  anx- 
ieties, hopes,  which  are  known  only  to  himself, 
and  which  it  might  be  highly  improper  to  dis- 
close to  any  living  creature.  In  the  presence 
of  others  there  is  always  less  or  more  of  re- 
straint, but  in  the  presence  of  God  the  most 
secret  recesses  of  the  soul  may  and  ought  to 
be  laid  open.  Social  prayer  must  be  express- 
ed in  general  language,  that  it  may  be  suit- 
able to  the  circumstances  of  all  the  worship-, 
pers.  In  the  private  circle  we  may  no  doubt 
lay  aside  a  portion  of  that  restraint  which  a 


24    DUTIES  OP  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY. 

promiscuous  assembly  always  imposes,  and 
may  employ  language  more  minute  and  cir- 
cumstantial in  expressing  our  confessions, 
thanksgivings,  and  petitions ;  still  more  may 
this  be  done  in  the  devotions  of  a  Christian 
family,  and  yet  more  so  when  uniting  for  any 
special  object  with  some  dear  Christian  friend. 
But,  when  quite  alone,  we  may  indulge  a  de- 
gree of  familiarity  with  our  heavenly  Father, 
and  express  all  that  is  in  our  hearts,  with  a 
fulness  and  particularity  which  would  be  im- 
proper in  the  presence  of  any  earthly  witness, 
however  intimate  and  beloved. 

It  is  in  the  retirement  of  the  closet  that 
there  is  an  opportunity  of  ascertaining  whe- 
ther we  are  really  possessed  of  the  spirit  of 
prayer.  If  the  presence  of  others  imposes  a 
degree  of  restraint,  and  necessitates  the  use 
of  general  language,  it  is  at  the  same  time 
favourable  to  the  production  of  a  certain  kind 
of  fervour  which,  in  some  cases,  is  entirely 
awakened,  and  in  all  cases  greatly  increased, 
by  the  existence  of  a  sympathy,  real  or  sup- 
posed, between  the  speaker  and  his  fellow- 
worshippers.  This  fervour  is  by  no  means 
the  same  thing  as  earnestness  or  sincerity  of 
desire,  and  is  perfectly  distinguishable  from 
any  proper  exercise  either  of  the  understand- 
ing or  the  affections.  It  may  exist  without 
any  one  deep  or  earnest  feeling,  except  per- 
haps the  desire  of  those  immediate  gratifica- 
tions which  it  yields ;  whilst  the  blessings 
asked  are  not  really  wished  for,  and  the  very 
language  by  whose  sound  it  is  produced  is 


DUTIES    OF    THE   CLOSET    GENERALLY.  25 

scarcely  attended  to  or  understood.  It  is  a 
mere  movement  of  those  sensations  which 
have  their  origin  not  in  faith  but  in  fancy,  and 
which  dehght  to  dwell  on  the  vast,  the  re- 
mote, the  obscure,  whether  in  idea  or  expres- 
sion, rather  than  on  what  is  true,  near,  and 
important.  It  may  indeed  co-exist  and  even 
mingle  with  the  deepest  feelings  of  the  heart, 
and  consequently  may  be  an  accompaniment 
of  true  piety ;  yet  has  it  no  necessary  connec- 
tion with  these,  but  may  be  equally  united 
with  feehngs  and  emotions  that  have  their 
origin  in  vanity  and  self-love.  Lest  however 
this  remark  should  give  uneasiness  to  any 
humble  worshipper,  it  is  proper  to  state  that 
one  mode  of  testing  the  genuineness  of  our 
devotional  feelings  is  constantly  at  hand,  and 
is  supplied  by  simply  proposing  the  question, 
are  our  secret  devotions  as  regularly  observed, 
and  attended  with  as  high  a  degree  of  fervour, 
as  our  pubHc  supplications?  The  spurioug 
fervour  of  which  we  have  now  spoken,  not 
unfrequently  expends  itself  in  the  presence  of 
our  fellow-worshippers.  Genuine  affections 
of  any  kind,  whether  painful  or  pleasant, 
whether  excited  by  natural  or  spiritual  ob- 
jects, are  usually  felt  most  deeply  when  we 
are  alone. 

Secret  prayer  must  be  accompanied  with 
reading  the  scriptures.  The  word  of  God  is 
at  once  our  authority  and  our  guide  in  every 
part  of  worship.  We  have  no  right  to  ap- 
proach God  in  the  attitude  of  suppliants,  but 

3 


26  DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

that  which  is  derived  from  his  own  precious 
promises  ;  nor  can  we  have  any  knowledge 
of  the  character  in  which  he  permits  us  to 
worship  him,  and  of  the  only  way  of  access 
to  his  throne,  except  what  is  communicated 
by  the  discoveries  of  the  gospel.  Nor  is  it 
enough  that  we  enter  into  our  closets  with  a 
determination  to  be  regulated  in  our  devo- 
tional exercises  by  the  information  we  have 
derived  from  the  sacred  volume.  We  must 
take  the  Bible  along  with  us  and  have  direct 
recourse  to  it — to  its  doctrines,  its  promises, 
its  examples,  its  adorations,  its  praises,  its 
supplications,  its  confessions  of  sin,  its  inter- 
cessions, its  records  of  devotional  feeling,  its 
discoveries  of  the  breathings  of  the  soul  whilst 
enjoying  communion  with  the  Father  of  spi- 
rits. Prayer  cannot  be  acceptably  performed 
without  the  scriptures ;  and,  it  may  be  added, 
the  scriptures  cannot  be  profitably  read  with- 
out prayer.  The  Spirit  whose  office  it  is  to 
lead  us  into  all  truth,  and  whose  influences 
are  promised  in  answer  to  prayer,  is  required 
to  open  our  understandings,  and  renew  our 
hearts,  otherwise  the  word  will  remain  a  seal- 
ed book.  Even  that  mental  eflfort  which  is 
required  in  order  to  obtain  an  acquaintance 
with  the  contents  of  the  Bible,  presupposes 
the  necessity  of  retirement.  This  is  implied 
in  the  well  known  exhortation  of  our  Lord, 
"  Search  the  scriptures."  The  scriptures  may 
be  read  in  public  as  well  as  in  private,  and, 
unquestionably,  this  ought  regularly  to  form 
part  of  public  worship ;  but  it  is  only  when 


DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY.    27 

one  is  alone  that  he  can  search  them.  So 
much  was  David  in  the  habit  of  reading  the 
word  of  God  in  private,  that  he  says  it  was 
his  counsellor  in  all  his  doubts  and  fears,  even 
in  those,  we  may  well  believe,  which  were 
known  only  to  himself.  The  whole  of  the 
119th  Psalm  shows  how  constantly  he  was  in 
the  }3ractice  of  secretly  reading,  studying,  and 
meditating  upon  the  divine  word.  He  tells 
us,  that  unless  the  law  of  God  had  been  his 
delight,  he  should  have  perished  when  his 
troubles  abounded,  that  he  never  would  forget 
the  divine  precepts,  for  by  them  he  had  been 
quickened,  and  that  the  words  of  God  were 
better  to  him  than  thousands  of  gold  and  of 
silver.  He  exclaims,  "  O  how  love  I  thy  law ; 
it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day."  "  Open  thou 
mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  wondrous  things 
out  of  thy  law."  •'  My  soul  breaketh  for  the 
longing  that  it  hath  unto  thy  judgments  at  all 
times."  Elsewhere  we  find  the  same  psalm- 
ist speaking  of  the  law  of  the  Lord,  by  which,^ 
of  course,  w^e  are  to  understand  the  Scriptures 
as  they  then  existed,  as  more  precious  than 
gold,  and  sweeter  than  honey ;  and  describ- 
ing the  blessed  man  as  one  who  delights  in 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  meditates  therein  by 
day  and  by  night. 

There  is  another  duty  belonging  to  the  ex- 
ercises of  secret  devotion  which,  in  the  gene- 
ral view  we  are  at  present  taking,  must  not 
be  passed  over, — the  duty,  namely,  of  self- 
ex  aminat  ion.  An  intimate  acquaintance 
with  one's  self,  or  in  other  words,  a  know- 


28  DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

ledge,  less  or  more  correct,  of  one's  own 
character,  disposition,  temper,  and  habits,  is 
of  great  value,  considered  merely  as  a  mental 
acquisition ;  and,  in  a  religious  point  of  view, 
is  of  indispensable  importance.  One  of  the 
most  grievous  evils  of  our  fallen  condition,  is, 
that  we  are  naturally  destitute  of  the  know- 
ledge of  God,  and  along  with  this,  destitute 
of  the  knowledge  of  ourselves.  A  discovery 
of  our  true  position  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 
in  relation  to  eternity,  is  perhaps  the  first  step 
towards  deliverance  from  the  misery  of  which 
we  are  naturally  the  heirs.  When  the  word 
of  God  obtains  an  effectual  and  saving  en- 
trance into  the  heart,  it  gives  light,  and  im- 
parts understanding  to  the  simple ;  it  gives 
light  not  merely  with  reference  to  the  char- 
acter and  works  of  Him  whose  revelation  it 
is,  but  also  regarding  the  moral  condition  of 
him  to  whom  the  revelation  is  given.  It  pre- 
sents a  glass  which  not  only  discovers  exter- 
nal objects,  but  also  reflects  the  image  of  the 
person  who  looks  into  it,  causing  him  to  see 
how  faithfully  the  human  heart  is  described, 
as  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked.  Thus  are  we  made  to  feel  our  need 
of  that  salvation  w^hich  is  provided  for  the 
chief  of  sinners,  and  the  value  of  which  we 
are  unable  to  appreciate  till  we  are  convinced 
that  we  are  indeed  poor,  and  wretched,  mis- 
erable, and  blind,  and  naked. 

The  self-knowledge  of  which  we  speak,  has 
respect  not  merely  to  the  state  in  which  we 
exist  by  nature  as  lost  sinners ;  it  includes  the 


DITTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY.  29 

result  of  a  continual  watchfulness  over  our- 
selves, and  a  habitual  inspection  of  our  feeUngs 
and  habits.  The  frame  of  mind  that  may  ex- 
ist at  any  one  time  would,  taken  by  itself,  be 
a  verv  unfair  criterion  of  character.  We 
must  observe  carefully  our  ordinary  deport- 
ment, reviewing  it  from  time  to  time,  com- 
paring our  public  conduct  with  our  private 
behaviour.  We  must  attend  to  those  partic- 
ulars in  which  we  are  most  apt  to  err,  and 
remark  especially  whether  we  are  making 
improvement  or  the  reverse,  whether  we  are 
becoming:  more  or  less  watchful  asrainst  sin, 
and  more  or  less  diligent  and  punctual  in  all 
our  religious  duties,  whether  we  are  advanc- 
ing or  falling  off  in  love,  devotedness,  spiritual 
mindedness,  whether  our  acquaintance  with 
Christ,  our  daily  reliance  upon  him,  and  com- 
munion with  him,  are  increasing  or  diminish- 
ing. We  are  commanded  to  keep  the  heart 
with  all  diligence,  for  out  of  it  are  the  issues 
of  life ;  but  without  such  a  practice  as  we  are 
recommending,  it  is  impossible  to  obey  this 
command. 

The  duty  of  self-examination  should  be  per- 
formed in  a  more  minute  and  careful  manner, 
at  certain  intervals  ;  for  example,  at  the  end 
of  the  week,  and  more  particularly  at  the  end 
of  the  year,  or  in  view  of  the  periodical  re- 
turn of  the  Lord's  Supper ;  and  on  such  oc- 
casions, inquiries  regarding  the  progress  that 
we  are  making  in  the  divine  life,  and  in  the 
duties  and  jiabits  of  the  Christian,  are  more 
especially  appropriate.     But  what  we  have 

o 


30  DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

in  view  at  present  more  particularly,  is  the 
propriety  of  connecting  this  exercise  with  the 
ordinary  devotions  of  the  closet.  The  read- 
ing of  the  scriptures  in  a  devout  frame,  can 
scarcely  ever  fail  to  suggest  questions  which 
we  may  very  profitably  propose  to  our  own 
hearts.  It  is,  moreover,  by  a  review  of  our 
circumstances  and  employments,  that  we 
must  be  guided  in  our  thanksgivings  and  con- 
fessions, and  even  in  our  petitions. 

These  several  exercises,  namely,  secret 
prayer,  reading  the  scriptures,  and  self-exam- 
ination, it  is  our  intention  to  consider  more 
fully  as  we  proceed.  May  we  be  permitted 
to  pause,  and,  before  concluding  this  chapter, 
to  say  a  few  words  for  the  purpose  of  urging 
on  the  attention  of  our  readers  the  vast  im- 
portance of  these  duties  ?  We  are  far  from 
wishing  to  advance  a  single  word  that  might 
have  the  effect  of  leading  any  one  to  regard 
these  duties  as  possessing  real  merit,  or  giving 
him  a  claim  to  the  favour  of  God.  The  duties 
of  which  we  speak,  if  performed  as  all  should 
be  taught  to  perform  them,  will  have  the  very 
opposite  effect.  They  who  are  best  ac- 
quainted with  a  life  of  faith  and  of  prayer,  are 
not  likely  to  take  credit  to  themselves  for  the 
excellence  of  their  devotions;  on  the  contrary, 
they  are  the  very  persons  who  are  most  fa- 
miliar with  the  humiliating  spectacle  of  their 
own  guilt  and  wretchedness,  and  who  conse- 
quently are  most  deeply  sensible  that  salvation 
is,  and  can  only  be,  the  fruit  of  unmerited 
love.     However  they  may  stand  in  the  esti- 


DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY.         31 

mat  ion  of  their  fellow-creatures,  and  when 
tried  by  the  low  standard  of  this  world's 
morality,  they  feel  that  in  all  things  they 
come  short  of  the  glory  of  God ;  that  their 
very  repentings  need  to  be  repented  of;  that 
all  their  righteousness  is  as  filthy  rags ;  that 
even  their  best  and  holiest  duties  proclaim 
them  unprofitable  servants.  They  know  well, 
that  by  grace  they  are  saved  through  faith, 
and  that  not  of  themselves,  for  it  is  the  gift 
of  God ;  and  it  is  their  constant  aim  to  rejoice 
in  the  faithful  saying  which  is  worthy  of  all 
acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,  even  the  chief  Their 
hope  is  that  of  poor  guilty  sinners,  looking 
for  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto 
eternal  life. 

But  all  this  does  not  diminish  the  import- 
ance, either  of  the  means  of  grace  in  general, 
or  of  the  duties  of  the  closet  in  particular. 
Although  they  are  only  means,  and,  having 
nothing  of  the  nature  of  legal  merit,  are  useful 
no  otherwise  than  by  bringing  us  into  that 
way  where  God  has  promised  to  meet  with 
us,  and  to  bless  us,  and  to  give  us  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Saviour,  it  is  abundantly  evident 
that,  even  in  this  view,  they  are  unspeakably 
valuable,  and  the  neglect  of  them  may  be  at- 
tended with  the  most  tremendous  consequences. 
Inattention  to  these  ordinances,  whether  public 
or  private,  which  God  has  instituted,  implies 
contempt  of  his  authority,  and  must  be  visited 
■with  punishment ;  and  the  connection  which, 
by  divine  appointment,  is  established  between 


32  DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

the  observance  of  such  ordinances,  and  the 
salvation  of  the  soul,  proves  that  the  person 
disregarding  them  subjects  himself  to  ever- 
lasting ruin,  just  as  certainly  as  if  the  keeping 
of  them  were  the  meritorious  ground  of  justi- 
fication. The  object  of  all  the  means  of  grace 
is  to  make  us  acquainted  with  Christ ;  but  if, 
through  our  neglect  of  these  means,  this  ac- 
quaintance with  Christ  is  not  obtained,  we 
perish  as  necessarily,  and  as  hopelessly,  as  if 
our  salvation  had  had  no  other  basis  than  that 
of  religious  observance. 

Whilst  the  ordinances,  in  general,  are  of 
indispensable  importance,  and  whilst  inatten- 
tion to  any  of  them  is  fraught  with  the  most 
ruinous  consequences,  we  must  take  the 
present  opportunity  of  saying  that  the  duties 
of  the  closet  are  at  once  more  immediately 
connected  with  the  interests  of  the  soul,  and 
more  in  danger  of  being  neglected,  than  any 
other  ordinance  it  is  in  our  power  to  mention. 
A  person  may  attend  to  the  public  exercises 
of  religion,  whilst  he  lives  in  the  neglect  of 
private  devotion ;  but  we  do  not  think  it  likely 
that  any  one,  who  is  conscientiously  waiting 
upon  God  in  secret,  will  neglect  the  duties  of 
the  sanctuary.  Many  motives  induce  men  to 
attend  regularly  the  house  of  God,  and  even 
to  maintain  worship  in  their  families,  which 
yet  are  not  of  a  kind  to  secure  the  performance 
of  secret  devotion  ;  but  those  motives  which 
lead  a  man  to  his  closet,  will  also  insure  at- 
tendance on  more  public  ordinances.  Allow- 
ance being  made  for  those  cases,  in  which 


DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY.  33 

feelings  purely  superstitious  may  lead  to  the 
observance  of  private  as  well  as  public  cere- 
monies, we  are  much  inclined  to  think  that, 
especially  in  our  own  day,  and  among  Pro- 
testants, if  the  proper  motive  does  not  exist, 
the  exercises  of  strictly  personal  devotion  are 
either  entirely  and  constantly  neglected,  or 
observed  in  such  a  manner  as  the  individual 
would  himself  be  ashamed  of,  were  it  known 
to  any  of  his  fellow-creatures. 

Nor  is  the  peculiarly  close  relation  subsist- 
ing between  personal  godliness,  and  the  exer- 
cises  of  secret   devotion,  the   only  circum- 
stance that  illustrates  the  importance  of  these 
exercises.     Let   us  advert  for  a  moment  to 
the  obligation  of  the  Saviour's  command,  and 
the  authority  of  the  Saviour's  example.     "  But 
thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet; 
and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to 
thy  Father  who  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father 
which  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  open- 
ly." Matt.  vi.  6.     No  command  can  be  more 
plain  and  distinct,  more  solemn  and  authorita- 
tive.    It  is  a  command  applicable  to  all,  bind- 
ing upon  all,  and  accompanied  by  a  promise 
that  is  suitable    to    all.     It  cannot  be  disre- 
garded, by  any  man,  or  any  body  of  men,  to 
whom  it  has  been  made  known,  without  an 
act  of  stubborn  disobedience  to  heaven's  Law- 
giver ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  base  ingratitude 
implied  in  contemning  an  offer  so  infinitely 
good.     It  is  vain  to  reply  that  these  words 
were  intended,  in  the  first  instance,  as  a  re- 
buke  to  those  hypocrites  who  love  to  pray 


34  DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

standing  in  the  synagogues  and  in  the  corners 
of  the  streets.  That  they  were  so  intended 
we  do  not  deny,  but  this  does  not  prevent 
their  application  to  many  who  can  in  no 
proper  sense  be  called  hypocrites.  The  im- 
pious and  the  prayerless  stand  rebuked,  not 
less  than  the  vain-glorious  Pharisee. 

Whatever  may  be  alleged  regarding  the  in- 
consistencies so  often  supposed  to  exist   be- 
tween   the   practice  of  public   teachers  and 
their  instructions,  is  not  only  inapplicable  in 
the  present  instance,  but  suggests  by  contrast 
the   incomparable    excellence   of   our    great 
Teacher.     The   truths  which  he  taught  and 
the  precepts  which  he  inculcated,  were  illus- 
trated and  enforced  by  his  own  example.     If 
the  extreme  poverty  in  which  he  lived,  af- 
forded him   not  the   opportunity  of  literally 
entering  his  closet  and  shutting  his  door  be- 
hind him,  we  find  him  seeking  retirement  in 
the  mountains  and  deserts.     He  was  without 
a  house  or  a  home  of  his  own,  and  "  had  not 
where  to  lay  his  head ;"  but  those  who  were 
best  acquainted  with   his    habits   knew  that, 
wherever  he  sojourned,  he  always  found   a 
place  for  secret  devotion.     Very  soon  after 
he   began   his   ministry,  we   are  told  of  his 
having  healed  many  diseases,  and   cast   out 
many  devils ;   to  the  account  of  which    the 
historian  adds,  "  And  in  the  morning,  rising 
up  a  great  while  before  day,  he  w^ent  out  and 
departed    into    a    solitary    place,    and    there 
prayed."  Mark  i.  34,  35.     When  the  fame  of 
his  miracles  was  so  much  noised  abroad  as 


DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY.  35 

to  attract  great  multitudes  around  him,  the 
beautifully  simple  language  of  scripture  does 
not  indeed  assert  his  insensibility  to  fame,  but 
conveys  the  same  truth  in  a  manner  far  more 
affecting.  The  evangelist  continues  his  nar- 
rative by  saying  :  "  And  he  withdrew  himself 
into  the  wilderness,  and  prayed."  Luke  v.  16. 
Every  person  acquainted  with  scripture  is 
familiar  with  the  circumstance,  that  the  whole 
of  the  night  which  preceded  the  sending  forth 
of  the  twelve  apostles,  was  spent  in  solemn 
prayer ;  "  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days, 
that  he  went  into  a  mountain  to  pray,  and 
contmued  all  night  in  prayer  to  God.  And 
when  it  was  day,  he  called  unto  him  his  dis- 
ciples, and  of  them  he  chose  twelve,  w^hom  he 
also  named  apostles."  Luke  vi.  12,  13.  On 
the  memorable  occasion  of  his  feeding  the  five 
thousand  with  five  loaves  and  two  fishes,  far 
from  waiting  to  receive  the  admiration  which 
such  a  miraculous  display  of  power  and  com- 
passion was  fitted  to  awaken  in  the  bosoms 
of  so  large  an  assembly,  we  are  told  that, 
"  Straightway  Jesus  constrained  his  disciples 
to  get  into  a  ship,  and  to  go  before  him  unto 
the  other  side,  while  he  sent  the  multitudes 
away.  And  when  he  had  sent  the  multitudes 
away,  he  went  up  into  a  mountain  apart  to 
pray:  and,  when  the  evening  was  come,  he 
was  there  alone."  Matt.  xiv.  22,  23.  And  in 
his  exercise  he  continued  till  the  fourth  watch 
">f  the  night,  that  is,  till  it  was  almost  day, 
vhen  he  came  to  his  disciples  walking  on  the 
ea.     It  was  the  knowledge  which  Judas  pos- 


36         DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

sessed  of  the  private  devotional  habits  of  his 
Master,  that  enabled  him  so  easily  to  act  the 
part  of  a  traitor.  He  could  promise  to  the 
chief  priests  to  deliver  him  into  the  hands  o^ 
the  officers  whom  they  sent  for  his  apprehen- 
sion, because  he  knew  the  place  and  the  hour 
at  which  their  victim  could  be  found  in  retire- 
ment. The  record  of  that  wonderful  prayer 
contained  in  the  17th  of  John,  is  immediately 
succeeded  by  the  following  narrative: — 
*'  When  Jesus  had  spoken  these  words,  he 
went  forth  with  his  disciples  over  the  brook 
Cedron,  where  was  a  garden,  into  the  which 
he  entered,  and  his  disciples.  And  Judas  also 
which  betrayed  him  knew  the  place."  John 
xviii.  1,  2. 

The  importance,  and  the  obligation,  of  those 
lessons  which  are  taught  by  our  Lord's  ex- 
ample in  this  matter,  it  is  impossible  to  over- 
estimate. If  he  who  had  no  sins  of  his  own 
to  confess,  humbled  himself  to  the  very  dust 
before  his  heavenly  Father ;  how  much  more 
does  it  become  us,  who  are  altogether  sinful, 
to  prostrate  ourselves  before  the  throne  of 
grace  begging  for  mercy  and  forgiveness ! 
If  the  Lord  of  glory,  who  is  in  himself  al- 
mighty and  all-sutlicient,  was  so  often  found 
in  the  attitude  of  a  suppliant,  how  foolish  and 
inconsistent  on  the  part  of  weak  perishing 
worms  to  live  without  calling  upon  God !  If 
he  who  possesses  absolute  sovereignty  and 
dominion,  and  who  claims  all  power  in  hea- 
ven and  on  earth,  condescended,  in  the  form 
of  a  servant,  not  only  to  render  obedience, 


DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY.    37 

but  to  submit  to  every  privation,  spending 
whole  nights  in  prayer  on  the  bleak  desert  or 
the  cold  mountain  side,  how  shameful  in  sin- 
ners, who  deserve  eternal  misery,  to  allow 
sloth  and  self-indulgence  to  deter  them  from 
spending  a  few  hours  in  praying  for  the  sal- 
vation of  their  souls !  Let  no  one  say  he  has 
not  convenience  for  retirement:  Jesus  found 
retirement  in  the  wilderness.  Let  no  one  say 
he  has  not  time  for  secret  prayer :  he  whose 
time  was  infinitely  more  precious  than  ours, 
and  who  performed  beyond  expression  more 
work  in  a  short  time  than  any  other  ever  per- 
formed, found  leisure  to  spend  hours  and 
nights,  nay,  on  a  certain  occasion,  forty  days 
at  once,  in  fasting  and  prayer. 

Let  all  classes  of  persons  be  exhorted  to 
attend  to  this  duty.  Christians,  enter  into 
your  closets ;  the  health  and  life  of  your  souls 
require  this  of  you.  Professors  of  religion 
generally,  enter  into  your  closets ;  your  feel- 
ings when  there  will  discover  to  you  whether 
or  not  you  are  true  believers.  If  secret  pray- 
er has  no  attraction  for  you,  if  the  Bible  has 
no  charms  for  you  when  all  other  company  is 
excluded,  if  communion  with  God  is  unknown 
by  you  in  private,  and  only  thought  of  in  re- 
lation to  public  ordinances,  be  assured  you  do 
not  love  God,  you  are  not  living  a  life  of  faith, 
Christ  has  never  been  formed  w^ithin  you  the 
hope  of  glory,  it  is  not  upon  the  Saviour,  but 
upon  this  world,  or  something  belonging  to  it, 
that  your  affections  are  placed.  But  be  en- 
couraged to  listen  to  the  invitations  of  mercy; 

4 


38  DUTIES    OP    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

your  situation,  however  bad,  does  not  preven 
you  from  the  right  to  take  advantage  of  the 
command,  "  Enter  into  thy  closet."  If  when 
there  you  have  nothing  to  say,  make  this  very 
circumstance  the  matter  of  your  prayer ;  ask 
God  to  teach  you  to  pray,  to  make  known  to 
you  your  wants,  to  reveal  to  you  the  vast  im- 
portance of  your  everlasting  interests.  De- 
mand of  your  own  consciences  when  quite 
alone,  in  the  presence  of  the  heart-searching 
Jehovah,  what  is  your  condition,  and  what 
are  your  prospects,  whither  are  you  going,  in 
what  direction  are  you  daily  progressing, 
where  are  you  about  to  take  up  your  everlast- 
ing abode.  Set  yourselves  in  good  earnest  to 
meditate  upon  eternity.  Cherish  the  feeling 
that  you  are  formed  to  exist  for  ever ;  that  at 
present  you  are  only  in  the  commencement, 
the  morning,  the  dawn  of  your  being;  that 
you  are  now,  moreover,  forming  that  charac- 
ter and  acquiring  those  habits  which  will 
cleave  to  you  through  endless  ages,  and  prove 
the  source  of  your  happiness  or  misery  for 
ever ;  that  this  process  is  even  now,  every 
day  and  every  week,  making  steady  advances; 
that  at  the  very  moment  you  are  reading 
these  lines,  you  have  already  begun  to  rise  or 
to  fall,  to  ascend  or  to  descend ;  and  that  the 
progress  in  either  direction  will  be  everlast- 
ing. If  you  have  no  employment  for  the 
closet,  spend  your  time  while  there  in  medi- 
tating on  this. 

Do  you  complain  that  you  are  unaccustom-      - 
ed  to  secret  devotion,  and  that  when  you  at-      I 


DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY.  39 

tempt  to  pray  you  have  neither  language  nor 
ideas,  that  your  attention  is  unfixed  and  your 
thoughts  wandering,  that  in  short  you  require 
instructions  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the 
time  allotted  to  this  exercise  is  really  to  be 
spent.  Be  it  so.  You  believe  there  is  a  God, 
and  you  behold  his  workmanship  in  the  hea- 
vens above,  on  the  earth  around,  in  the  struc- 
ture of  your  own  body,  and  in  the  constitution 
of  your  mind.  This  great  Being  stands  in 
certain  relations  to  you,  and  you  to  him ;  he 
is  your  Maker  and  Preserver ;  he  breathed  in- 
to your  nostrils  the  breath  of  Ufe ;  he  gives 
you  the  food  you  eat,  and  the  raiment  you 
wear,  and  the  very  air  you  breathe.  His 
own  character  and  perfections  render  it  pro- 
per that  you,  his  rational  and  intelligent  crea- 
ture, should  acknowledge  and  worship  him ; 
while  his  unv^earied  kindness,  and  the  many 
mercies  you  have  all  your  life  received  at  his 
hands,  demand  your  warmest  gratitude ;  and 
the  ungrateful  return,  heretofore  rendered  on 
your  part,  calls  for  the  deepest  humility. 
Your  obligation  in  these  respects  cannot  be 
denied  or  disregarded,  without  opposing  the 
clearest  dictates  of  the  light  of  nature;  it  is 
written  on  the  human  heart,  and  acknow- 
ledged, even  amid  superstition  and  idolatry 
and  gross  ignorance,  by  every  tribe  oi  men 
in  the  world.  Well,  if  you  have  no  employ- 
ment in  the  closet,  think  of  this  great  Being, 
who  is  himself  so  worthy  of  your  thoughts, 
whose  creature  you  are,  to  whom  you  are  so 
deeply  indebted,  and  who,  all  unheeded  and 


40    DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY. 

disregarded  by  you,  has  been  acting  towards 
you  the  part  of  a  Father. 

He  is,  moreover,  your  Lawgiver  and  Judge. 
He  has  given  a  law  for  the  regulation  of  your 
conduct,  a  law  written  in  your  conscience, 
and  still  to  be  discovered  there,  although  part- 
ly defaced  by  corruption,  error,  and  sinful 
habits.  The  existence  of  this  law  is  proved, 
even  by  the  ordinary  appointments  of  Provi- 
dence, in  which  virtue  is  rewarded  and  vice 
punished,  as  well  as  by  those  feelings  of  mo- 
ral approbation  towards  certain  actions,  and 
of  disapprobation  towards  others,  of  which  all 
men  are  conscious.  Those  feelings  arise  from 
that  moral  sense  of  right  and  wrong,  which 
has  been  implanted  by  God  in  the  human 
bosom,  and  which,  like  all  his  works,  bears  a 
resemblance  to  himself.  He  is  a  just  God 
and  a  righteous, — "  He  loveth  righteousness, 
and  hateth  iniquity."  That  law  which  he  in- 
scribed on  the  heart  of  man,  he  has  now  fully 
revealed  in  his  holy  w^ord,  where  we  are  spe- 
cially informed,  that  its  sum  and  substance 
consists  in  love  to  God  and  love  to  man. 
Here,  then,  are  abundant  materials  for  private 
meditation.  If  you  w^^nt  employment  for  the 
closet,  think  of  the  moral  character  and  the 
moral  law  of  God.  Allow  your  thoughts  to 
dwell  on  his  high  unbending  rectitude,  his 
pure  and  spotless  holiness,  his  absolute  and 
sovereign  authority,  his  just  and  righteous 
administration.  Look  upon  yourself  as  the 
subject  of  his  moral  government,  responsible 
to  him,  not  only  for  your  eA^ery  action  and 


DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY.    41 

Word,  but  also  for  your  thoughts  and  feehngs, 
your  desires  and  motives,  your  temper  and 
dispositions,  of  all  which  you  must  render  an 
account  to  him  as  your  rightful  Lord  and 
Judge.  And,  oh,  meditate  on  the  fact  that, 
even  your  own  conscience  being  witness,  you 
have  often  transgressed.  How  much  pre- 
cious time  have  you  wasted  and  misimproved; 
how  often  have  you  done  that  which  you 
ought  not  to  have  done,  and  left  undone  those 
things  which  you  ought  to  have  done ;  how 
many  vain  thoughts  have  passed  through  your 
mind,  and  how  many  idle  words  have  escaped 
from  your  lips ;  how  much  has  your  conduct 
been  guided  by  pride,  selfishness,  vanity,  am- 
bition, envy  and  sensual  desire ;  how  much 
better  ought  you  to  have  discharged  even 
those  duties  which  you  have  not  altogether 
neglected;  how  much  more  advantageously 
to  yourself  and  others  might  you  have  con- 
ducted yourself  in  the  relations  of  life  which 
you  sustain,  whether  as  parent  or  child,  mas- 
ter or  servant,  husband  or  wife,  how  much 
more  might  you  have  done  for  the  temporal, 
and  especially  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
those  under  your  care ;  how  much  more  use- 
ful might  you  have  been  to  all  men ;  above 
all,  how  little  have  you  done  for  God ;  how 
seldom  have  you  so  much  as  thought  of  living 
to  his  glory,  and  how  slothful,  neghgent,  and 
procrastinating  have  you  been  in  every  reli- 
gious duty,  where  earthly  and  selfish  motives 
did  not  come  to  your  aid ;  how  much  of  pre- 
cious time  have  vou  wasted  in  trifles,  how 
'     4* 


42    DUTIES  OF  THE  CLOSET  GENERALLY. 

much  of  your  energies  has  been  expended 
in  sinful  passion  !  Oh,  if  you  cannot  find  out 
how  to  employ  your  time  in  the  closet,  think 
of  these  things  and  you  will  be  furnished  with 
employment.  Review  the  history  of  your 
bye-past  life  with  reference  to  the  particular 
matters  now  mentioned,  and  you  will  find 
materials  at  once,  of  confession,  petition,  and 
thanksgiving.  If  after  such  a  review  you  feel 
as  if  you  had  no  sins  to  confess,  no  undeserv- 
ed mercies  for  which  to  be  thankful,  no  bless- 
ing in  the  way  of  pardon  or  renovation  to  re- 
quest, then  assuredly  you  know  nothing  at  all 
about  your  own  character  and  situation.  But 
no,  this  cannot  be.  You  must  feel  that  you 
are  guilty,  and  if  you  do  so  feel  in  any  mea- 
sure, continue  to  think  on  the  subject,  and 
you  will  discover  that  you  are  more  guilty 
than  you  supposed,  and  your  grounds  of  hu- 
miliation and  complaint  will  multiply.  Nay, 
in  the  very  proportion  as  you  attend  to  this 
matter,  will  you  feel  constrained  to  exclaim, 
"Which  of  thy  commandments  have  I  not 
broken,  which  of  thy  laws  have  I  not  vio- 
lated?" and  to  acknowledge  the  application 
to  yourself  of  the  words  of  Daniel  to  Belshaz- 
zar :  "  The  God  in  whose  hand  thy  breath  is, 
and  whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast  thou  not 
glorified." 

Look  once  more  at  the  character  of  God. 
The  same  great  Being  who  is  so  glorious,  so 
exalted,  so  holy,  so  just,  who  is  the  Lawgiver 
and  Judge  of  the  moral  universe,  and  whom 
you  have    so  often  dared    to  offend,  whose 


DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY.  43 

law,  SO  exceeding  broad,  and  requiring  perfect 
obedience  in  thought,  word,  and  deed,  you 
have  so  often  violated,  whose  throne  is  found- 
ed on  eternal  justice,  and  who  will  by  no 
means  clear  the  guilty,  is  at  the  same  time  a 
God  of  infinite  love  and  mercy.  He  has  pro- 
vided a  Saviour  for  sinners  of  the  human 
family,  even  his  only  Son  Christ  Jesus,  in 
whose  mysterious  person  is  united  all  that  is 
excellent  in  divine  perfection,  with  the  feel- 
ings, and  sympathies,  and  nature  of  man. 
Through  the  intervention  of  this  ever-blessed 
Mediator,  the  displeasure  of  God  is  removed, 
the  demands  of  his  justice  are  fully  answered, 
the  claims  of  his  character  and  government 
are  satisfied,  the  dignity  of  his  administration 
is  supported,  the  honour  of  his  law  vindicated, 
whilst  mercy  is  extended  to  the  guilty,  par- 
don to  the  condemned,  favour  rich,  free,  ever- 
lasting, to  the  wicked  and  undeserving.  This 
mercy,  this  pardon,  this  grace,  is  what  you 
must  receive,  or  you  are  lost  for  ever ;  and  it 
is  all  offered  to  you,  freely  and  cordially,  in 
the  gospel.  Here  are  fruitful  subjects  of  me- 
ditation in  the  closet,  upon  which,  whensoever 
you  are  in  want  of  employment,  you  may 
most  appropriately  and  advantageously  allow 
your  thoughts  to  dwell.  Make  the  experi- 
ment, and  ascertain  whether  there  is  any 
thing  here  which  you  can  regard  as  interest- 
ing ;  and  if  there  is  not,  assuredly  this  very 
fact  is  a  most  humiliating  and  distressing 
illustration  of  the  deeply  seated  depravity  of 


44  DUTIES    or    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY. 

your  nature  and  habits,  and  is  itself  worthy 
of  being  most  seriously  considered. 

Surely  it  is  a  somewhat  alarming  reflec- 
tion, that  the  salvation  which  God  has  provid- 
ed by  the  death  of  his  Son,  a  salvation  which 
is  suited  in  all  respects  to  your  condition, 
which  contains  the  only  hope  of  your  escape 
from  eternal  misery,  and  which,  moreover, 
has  been  distinctly  made  knovi^n  to  you,  and 
oftentimes  pressed  upon  your  acceptance,  has 
yet  never  thoroughly  awakened  your  atten- 
tion, and  has  heretofore  taken  such  a  very 
slight  hold  of  your  feelings,  that  even  when 
you  retire  for  the  purpose  of  making  it  the 
subject  of  meditation,  you  discover  nothing  in 
it  which  you  can  regard  as  interesting. 

"  Enter  into  thy  closet."  Ask  your  own 
heart,  in  the  sight  of  the  great  Jehovah,  what 
are  your  present  feelings  towards  him,  and 
whether  you  are  prepared  to  stand  with  safety 
at  his  bar.  Fall  down  before  him,  and  on 
your  bended  knees,  entreat  that  he  would,  by 
his  Spirit,  teach  you  to  pray.  This  is  a  bless- 
ing which  the  very  ditficulty  you  have  in 
knowing  how  to  proceed,  shows  that  you 
greatly  require,  and  it  is  a  blessing  which  you 
have  the  greatest  encouragement  to  ask : — 
*'  If  ye,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more 
shall  your  Heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him?"  Luke  xi.  13. 

If  your  visits  to  the  place  of  secret  prayer, 
should  for  some  time  only  have  the  effect  of 
teaching  you  that  you  cannot  pray,  they  are 


DUTIES    OF    THE    CLOSET    GENERALLY.  45 

far  from  being  in  vain.  This  discovery  may 
itself  be  the  beginning  of  that  work  which  is 
to  issue  in  your  everlasting  welfare.  Who 
can  tell,  oh  reader !  whether  the  solution  of 
the  great  question  as  to  your  eternal  condi- 
tion, may  not  depend  upon  your  taking  oi 
refusing  the  advice  now  offered. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SECRET    PRAYER. 

It  is  our  intention,  in  some  of  the  following 
ciiapters,  to  consider  the  different  parts  of 
prayer.  At  present  we  shall  not  enter  upon 
the  consideration  of  any  of  these  parts,  but 
shall  simply  mention  what  they  are,  and  pass 
on  to  some  general  remarks  which  may  be 
regarded  as  applying  to  them  all.  Prayer 
has  been  said  to  consist  of  three  parts,  namely, 
petition,  confession,  and  thanksgiving ;  but  it 
seems  to  include  several  exercises  which 
cannot  very  well  be  classified  under  any  of 
these  divisions.  Perhaps  it  would  be  more 
correct  to  say,  that  prayer  consists  of  at  least 
six  separate  actions,  and  that  these  are  Ado- 
ration, Confession,  Petition,  Thanksgiving, 
Self-dedication,  and  Intercession.  At  any 
rate,  the  remarks  which  w^e  propose  to  ofter 
in  some  of  the  following  chapters,  may  be 
conveniently  arranged  under  these  heads. 

In  the  mean  time,  a  few  observations  may 
be  submitted  on  the  subject  of  secret  prayer 
in  general.  And  here  let  us  refer,  first  of  all, 
to  the  seasons  of  prayer,  to  those  periods  of 
time  which  are  most  proper  for  secret  devo- 
tion. The  morning  and  evening  seem  marked 
out  by  nature  as  suitable  for  this  purpose,  and, 
46 


SECRET    PRAYER.  4^ 

recognized  as  such  in  the  holy  scriptures,  are 
consecrated  by  the  universal  practice  of  good 
men  in  every  age,  and  recommended  by  the 
example  of  the  Saviour  himself.  David  speaks 
of  engaging  regularly  in  devotional  exercises 
even  more  frequently  than  this.  He  makes 
mention  of  evening,  morning,  and  noon ;  in 
one  passage  he  tells  us  that  it  was  his  custom 
to  give  praise  to  God  seven  times  a-day;  and 
in  another,  of  his  resolution  to  rise  at  midnight 
for  the  same  exercise.  But  the  ancient  ap- 
pointment of  the  morning  and  evening  sacri- 
fice among  the  Jews,  shows  that  these  sea- 
sons have  been  specially  appointed  and  set 
apart  by  Jehovah  for  his  service.  And  the 
true  fearers  and  worshippers  of  God,  in  every 
age  of  the  world,  and  in  every  country,  have 
regarded  the  first  and  last  hours  of  the  day  as 
sacred  to  devotion. 

It  would  be  well  if  we  could  impress  upon 
the  attention  of  our  readers  the  importance, 
and  the  great  advantage,  of  having  a  fixed 
time  and  place  appointed  for  this  duty.  In 
all  matters  even  of  a  worldly  kind  that  are 
of  any  serious  moment,  habits  of  regularity 
and  punctuality  are  indispensable ;  and  much 
more  must  this  be  the  case  in  matters  of  such 
infinite  consequence  as  the  interests  of  the 
soul.  Not  only  are  such  habits  indispensably 
valuable  as  furnishing  in  one  sense  a  security 
that  the  duties  of  the  closet  shall  not  be  abso- 
lutely neglected,  a  circumstance  of  which, 
otherwise,  there  will  often  be  the  greatest 
danger ;  but  they  will  be  found  of  the  greatest 


48  SECRET    PRAYER. 

Utility  in  counteracting  the  natural  reluctance 
of  the  heart  to  all  devotional  exercises,  a  re- 
luctance which  is  sometimes  felt  even  in  the 
best.  Moreover,  the  hurry  and  bustle  of  this 
world's  affairs  will  encroach  upon  the  seasons 
which  ought  to  be  reserved  for  the  devotions 
of  the  family,  and  much  more  upon  those 
which  belong  to  secret  devotion,  unless  such 
seasons  be  guarded  by  care  and  forethought  ; 
and  this  care  and  forethought  must  be  habit- 
ual. It  is  the  part  of  every  one  to  consider 
carefully  his  own  circumstances,  and  to  con- 
sult his  own  convenience,  in  making  arrange- 
ments as  to  this  matter ;  but  if  a  hint  on  such 
a  topic  might  be  offered,  we  would  suggest 
that  the  most  suitable  time  for  secret  prayer 
is  the  earliest  hour  in  the  morning,  but  per- 
haps not  the  latest  in  the  evening.  By  making 
it  the  first  employment  of  the  day,  and  allow- 
ing nothing  else  in  any  ordinary  circumstance 
to  take  precedence  of  it,  we  may  expect  the 
mind  to  be  in  some  degree  calm,  collected, 
and  free  from  those  disturbing  influences 
which  previous  attention  to  worldly  business 
could  not  fail  to  have  exerted.  But  in  the 
evening,  let  not  the  hour  or  half  hour  tliat  is 
given  to  this  duty  be  deferred  till  the  body 
and  mind  are  overcome  by  drowsiness.  Let 
the  exercise  be  quite  secret.  Prayer,  even 
personal  prayer,  in  the  presence  of  another  is 
not  secret  prayer.  The  person  should  feel 
himself  quite  alone;  he  should  feel  that  it  is 
only  with  God  that  he  is  transacting. 

The  appointment  of  fixed  seasons  for  prayer, 


SECRET    PRATER.  49 

should  not  be  considered  as  inconsistent  with 
the  duty  and  privilege  of  cultivating  habitually 
a  praying  frame  of  mind,  nor  with  the  prac- 
tice of  addressing  God  in  the  secret  exercises 
of  the  heart  even  when  in  the  presence  of 
others,  or  when  engaged  in  worldly  business. 
We  are  permitted,  nay  commanded,  to  pray 
without  ceasing,  to  continue  instant  in  prayer, 
to  pray  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplica- 
tion in  the  spirit.  Indeed,  that  daily  walking 
with  God,  that  constant  living  by  faith,  that 
unceasing  reliance  upon  divine  grace,  that 
habitual  looking  to  Jesus,  which  belong  to  the 
hidden  life  of  the  Christian,  must  imply  the 
secret  breathing  of  many  a  feeling  of  love, 
hope,  and  desire,  which  never  receive  a  ver- 
bal utterance.  It  will  not  be  questioned  by 
any  one  acquainted  with  vital  Christianity, 
that  true  reHgion  consists  greatly  in  exercises 
of  this  kind.  The  believer  reckons  it  one  of 
his  highest  privileges,  one  of  his  sweetest 
comforts,  that  in  Jesus  he  has  a  friend  to 
whom  he  can  look,  and  upon  whom  he  can 
lean  at  all  times.  He  prosecutes  his  journey 
through  this  world,  feeling  that  his  Guide,  his 
Protector,  his  Lord  and  Saviour,  his  elder 
Brother,  walks  along  with  him  ;  and  that  upon 
him  he  can  cast  every  care  as  it  arises,  every 
anxiety  and  every  burden.  Oh,  what  a  pre- 
cious privilege  is  this !  It  imparls  a  peace 
that  nothing  else  can  give,  a  peace  that  pas- 
seth  all  understanding.  How  sweetly  does 
the  individual  who  thus  lives  near  to  Christ, 
feel  himself  reUeved  from  the  vexations  and 

5 


60  SECRET    PRAYER. 

disquietudes  of  earth  !  He  is  not  his  own  but 
bought  with  a  price  ;  he  seeks  not  his  own  in- 
terest, his  own  ease,  his  own  glory ;  and  this 
very  renunciation  of  self,  which  is  so  contrary 
to  flesh  and  blood,  is  to  him  a  source  of  un- 
speakable comfort.  The  Lord  Jesus,  whose 
he  is  and  whom  he  serves,  will  take  charge 
of  him  and  carry  him  safely  through  every 
kind  of  trouble.  He  may  not,  indeed,  have 
at  all  times  the  present  consciousness  of 
strength  sufficient  for  such  trials  as  may  await 
him ;  but  he  looks  to  the  inexhaustible  fulness 
that  is  treasured  up  in  his  Saviour,  and  can 
beheve  that  such  supplies  of  grace  will  always 
be  given  as  his  circumstances  may  require, 
relying,  as  he  does,  on  the  promise,  "  as  thy 
day  so  shall  thy  strength  be."  Deut.  xxxiii.  25. 

It  is  nevertheless  a  serious  mistake,  in  any 
one,  to  suppose  that  the  practice  of  engaging 
in  secret  mental  prayer  when  going  about  his 
ordinary  employments,  or  whenever  he  enjoys 
a  devotional  frame,  diminishes  his  obligation 
to  attend  in  a  formal  manner  to  the  duties  of 
the  closet.  It  would  be  easy  to  show  that 
those  devotional  feelings  which  prompt  to  this 
kind  of  prayer,  cannot  be  preserved  without 
habitual  attention  to  the  regular  seasons  of 
retirement.  But  it  is  unnecessary  to  reason 
upon  this  point,  for  the  express  command  of 
Jesus  sets  all  dispute  regarding  it  at  rest: 
"  Enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast 
shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  who  is  in 
secret."  Matt.  vi.  6. 

Let  us  just  add  in  reference  to  this  topic, 


SECRET    PRAYER.  51 

that,  whilst  the  morning  and  evening  are  spe- 
cially marked  out  for  prayer  both  by  nature 
and  revelation,  Christians  may  and  frequently 
ought  to  set  apart  other  portions  of  time  also 
for  this  exercise.  If  there  is  any  thing  par- 
ticular either  in  the  circumstances  or  the  feel- 
ings of  the  individual  himself,  if  there  is  any 
calamity  afflicting  his  person  or  his  family,  if 
any  remarkable  blessing,  whether  of  a  tem- 
poral or  spiritual  kind  has  been  bestowed, -let 
a  season  of  special  humiliation  or  thanksgiving 
be  appointed.  This  is  done  by  our  churches 
and  congregations,  why  should  it  not  also  be 
done  by  families  and  private  Christians  ?  If 
the  believer  has  any  particular  sin  that  presses 
upon  his  conscience,  any  spiritual  enemy  from 
which  he  is  especially  in  danger,  any  peculiar 
difficulty  which  he  knows  not  how  to  over- 
come, any  distressing  perplexity  through 
which  he  cannot  see  his  way,  let  him  reserve 
for  his  own  use  a  certain  portion  of  his  time 
to  be  employed  in  fasting  and  humbling  him- 
self before  God,  in  pouring  out  his  soul  for 
those  mercies  which  his  case  immediately 
requires,  and  for  engaging  in  whatever  spe- 
cial exercises,  whether  of  confession  or  sup- 
plication, his  circumstances  may  seem  to  de- 
mand. 

We  now  proceed  to  offer  a  few  remarks 
regarding  the  manner  in  which  the  duty  of 
secret  prayer  should  be  attended  to;  and  we 
begin  by  observing  that  this  duty  should  be 
performed  intelligently.  A  little  reflection 
will  show  that  this  remark  is  not  so  superflu* 


62  SECRET    PRAYER. 

ous  as  it  may  at  first  sight  appear.  There 
are  many  who  address  the  Searcher  of  hearts 
in  language  which  even  to  themselves,  is 
scarcely  intelhgible.  It  may  seem  strange 
that  this  should  be  the  case ;  and  certainly 
were  every  one  to  act  upon  the  principle  of 
simply  uttering  the  desires  of  his  heart  before 
the  Hearer  of  prayer,  such  a  thing  as  we  have 
now  mentioned  could  not  exist.  But  this  is  a 
principle  on  which  many  never  think  of  act- 
ing. The  language  employed,  if  not  learned 
from  a  book,  has  either  been  left  on  the  me- 
mory from  hearing  the  public  prayers  of  others, 
or  was  suggested  to  the  mind  at  some  long 
distant  period  by  circumstances  which  can- 
not now  be  traced.  At  all  events,  it  is  re- 
peated without  awakening  the  mind  to  any 
intelligent  perception  of  its  meaning,  and,  be- 
yond a  general  emotion  of  seriousness,  its  only 
influence  upon  the  understanding  and  the  af- 
fections is  that  of  lulling  them  asleep.  The 
evil  in  question  may  not  always  exist  to  so 
great  an  extent  as  this.  The  words  that  are 
uttered  may  be,  in  part,  understood,  and  a  cer- 
tain fervour  with  which  they  have  been  long 
associated  may  be  called  up,  whilst  the  atten- 
tion, although  not  wholly  absent,  is  yet  very 
slightly  directed  to  the  ideas  that  are  express- 
ed; and  the  individual,  if  afterwards  question- 
ed upon  the  subject,  would  scarcely  be  able 
to  tell  any  one  thing  he  had  requested  in  his 
petitions,  any  one  blessing  he  had  acknow- 
ledged in  his  thanksgivings,  any  one  sin  he 
had  mourned  over  in  his  confessions. 


SECRET    PRAYER.  53 

In  conducting  public  prayers,  and  indeed 
in  praying  with  others  whether  pubhcly  or 
privately,  the  language  employed  being  neces- 
sarily less  or  more  general,  the  necessity  for 
a  distinct  and  definable  idea  being  attached 
to  every  word  may  not  be  so  great.  But  we 
are  now  speaking  of  secret  prayer,  and  in  the 
performance  of  this  duty  we  would  decidedly! 
recommend  that  not  a  single  word  should  be 
used,  the  meaning  of  which  is  not  at  the  time 
attended  to,  not  a  single  expression  that  is 
not  clearly  understood.  Think  of  what  you 
are  doing,  and  take  heed  what  you  say,  in  the 
presence  of  Him  before  whom  your  words 
ought  to  be  few  and  well  ordered.  Dare  not, 
under  the  recollection  that  his  all-seeing  eye 
is  upon  you,  to  utter  words  which  you  do  not 
understand,  or  the  meaning  of  which  you  do 
not  wait  to  consider.  If  at  any  time  you 
have  thus  acted,  your  professedly  religious 
observance,  whatever  else  it  might  be,  was 
not  an  act  of  divine  worship,  and  could  not 
be  so  regarded  by  Plim  who  requireth  the 
heart.  Such  em})ty  lip-service  can  never 
serve  any  purpose  but  to  make  you  hypocrit- 
ical on  the  one  hand,  or  superstitious  and  self- 
righteous  on  the  other.  Oh  !  if  many  of  those 
who  profess,  and  call  themselves  Christians, 
would  only  think  what  has  been  the  character 
of  their  prayers  from  day  to  day,  and  from 
year  to  year,  they  must  be  filled  with  wonder 
that  God  has  not  long  ere  now  cut  them  oflf 
for  their  insincerity.  Such  persons  are  oc- 
casionally heard  to  complain  that  God  does 

5* 


54  SECRET    PRAYER. 

not  seem  to  hear  their  prayers,  that  they  are 
not  making  progress  in  grace,  and  that  amid 
all  their  duties  their  hearts  continue  cold  and 
unaffected.  Surely  tlie  wonder  is,  not  that 
God  has  never  seemed  to  hear  their  prayers, 
but  that  He,  the  great  Jehovah,  whom  they 
have  been  insulting  by  their  unmeaning  ob- 
servances, has  not  mingled  their  blood  with 
their  sacrifice,  and  said  to  them  by  some  ter- 
rible visitation,  "  Who  hath  required  this  at 
your  hands?" 

But  this  leads  us  to  remark,  secondly,  that 
secret  prayer  to  be  acceptable  must  he  sin- 
cere; that  is,  the  individual  must  not  only 
understand  the  meaning  of  the  words  which 
he  uses,  but  he  must  entertain  the  feelings 
which  his  words  express.  He  must  not  only 
avoid  the  mummery  of  using  language  which 
he  does  not  comprehend ;  he  must  avoid  the 
falsehood  and  hypocrisy  of  expressing  senti- 
ments, feelings,  and  desires,  which  his  heart 
does  not  acknowledge.  Whatever  is  the 
phraseology  employed,  let  it  be,  so  far  at  least 
as  the  individual  himself  is  concerned,  a  gen- 
uine expression  of  what  he  really  feels.  If 
sin  is  confessed,  let  it  be  sin  of  which  he 
knows  that  he  has  been  guilty,  and  of  whose 
demerit  he  is  sensible.  If  mercies  are  asked, 
let  them  be  mercies  the  need  of  which  is  ac- 
tually felt.  U  thanksgiving  is  offered,  let  it 
be  for  blessings  for  which  gratitude  is  really 
entertained.  If  language  expressive  of  admi- 
ration, of  love,  or  of  confidence  towards  God, 
suggests  itself,  oh !  venture  not  to  use  it  un- 


SECRET    PRAYER.  65 

less  these  feelings  have  less  or  more  a  place 
in  your  heart. 

It  is  extremely  probable  that  many,  were 
they  to  act  upon  this  plan,  would  find  that 
their  mouths  must  be  almost  entirely  shut. 
Were  they  to  confess  no  sins  but  those  for 
which  they  are  truly  penitent,  and  ask  no 
blessings  but  those  of  which  they  really  feel 
the  need,  and  express  gratitude  for  no  mercies 
but  those  for  which  they  are  sincerely  thank- 
ful, they  should  be  altogether  silent ;  as  much 
so  as  if  they  had  absolutely  nothing  either  to 
confess,  or  to  request,  or  on  account  of  which 
to  give  thanks.  A  most  extraordinary  situa- 
tion truly  !  Yet  for  a  man  to  feel  himself  in 
this  very  situation,  might  be  the  first  step  to- 
wards his  obtaining  a  true  knowledge  of  him- 
self. At  any  rate,  and  even  at  the  risk  of  be- 
ing reduced  to  this  situation,  we  cannot  hesi- 
tate to  recommend  the  most  perfect  sincerity 
in  every  part  of  secret  prayer.  Let  not  the 
sinner,  in  approaching  his  Maker,  add  to  his 
other  oflfences,  the  guilt  of  ofl^ering  insincere 
and  hypocritical  worship.  To  such  a  person 
we  would  say,  confess  nothing  but  what  you 
feel  you  have  done  wrong,  ask  nothing  but 
what  you  wish  to  receive,  express  thanksgiv- 
ing for  nothing  for  which  you  do  not  indeed 
entertain  gratitude.  And  oh,  if,  in  the  cir- 
cumstances, you  feel  that  you  have  really  no- 
thing at  all  to  say  in  the  presence  of  that 
great  and  glorious  Being  who  is  infinitely 
worthy  of  the  homage  both  of  your  heart  and 
lips,  whose  holy  commands  you  have  thou- 


50  SECRET    PRAYER. 

sands  of  times  broken,  to  whose  unmerited 
yet  most  unwearied  goodness  you  have  every 
day  of  your  Hfe  been  indebted,  and  who  is 
offering  freely  to  bestow  upon  you  pardon, 
and  eternal  life,  if  you  have  really  no  feeling 
to  express  in  the  presence  of  this  most  ex- 
cellent, and  merciful,  and  ever  blessed  One, 
no  contrition,  no  gratitude,  no  love,  no  desire, 
surely  this  very  circumstance  is  pregnant  with 
most  serious  reflections.  If  matters  are  thus 
with  you  in  very  deed,  then  what  have  all 
your  prayers  in  time  past  been  but  hypocrisy, 
one  continued  system  of  self-deceiving  hypoc- 
risy t  Here  then  is  something  for  you  to  con- 
fess !  You  are,  on  the  supposition  of  having 
nothing  to  ask,  utterly  unacquainted  with  your 
spiritual  wants,  a  state  of  things  which  is  ob- 
viously most  undesirable.  You  need  to  be 
informed  of  these  wants,  and  God  is  both  able 
and  willing  to  grant  you  this  information. 
Here  there  is  somethinf?  for  vou  to  ask. 
Amid  all  your  insensibility  and  ingratitude, 
the  great  Hearer  of  prayer  has  spared  and 
protected  and  provided  for  you  and  he  is  even 
now  willing  to  receive  you  into  his  favour 
and  to  ansvi'er  your  petitions,  if  you  come  to 
him  in  simplicity  and  sincerity  of  heart. 
Here  is  something  for  which  to  be  thankful. 
Thus  commence  your  dealings  with  God 
anew,  and  you  will  begin  to  pray  in  earnest. 
Look  for  teaching  and  help  from  above,  and 
your  materials  will  soon  multiply.  It  will  not 
be  long  ere  you  discover  that  you  have  much, 
very  much  to  confess ;  that  your  wants  are 


SECRET    PRAYER.  57 

very  numerous;  that  your  grounds  of  thanks- 
giving are  great  and  manifold.  All  these  will 
increase  in  your  estimation,  in  proportion  as 
you  make  them  the  subjects  of  attention  ;  and 
you  will  soon  be  inclined  to  use  spontaneously 
the  same  language,  perhaps,  which  was  for- 
merly employed  in  your  devotions;  but  oh, 
with  what  a  different  feeling !  You  will  now 
be  able  to  enter  into  the  meaning  of  expres- 
sions which  you  were  accustomed  to  utter, 
without  thinking  what  you  said.  You  will 
see  the  beauty  of  many  scripture  petitions, 
and  the  value  and  richness  of  many  promises, 
as  they  occur  to  you,  which  you  were  in  the 
habit  of  repeating  as  mere  words  of  course. 

Connected  with  this  is  another  remark, 
which  is,  that  secret  prayer  should  be  engaged 
in  deliberately.  It  can  be  characterized  nei- 
ther by  the  intelligence  nor  the  sincerity  of 
which  we  have  spoken,  if  it  is  hurried  over 
as  a  task.  To  some,  the  truth  of  this  obser- 
vation may  appear  so  obvious  as  to  supersede 
the  necessity  of  mentioning  it ;  yet,  as  many, 
it  is  to  be  feared,  err  in  this  particular,  we 
cannot  allow  it  to  be  altogether  overlooked. 
Are  there  not  persons  whose  consciences  are 
just  sufficiently  awake  to  forbid  the  habitual 
and  regular  neglect  of  all  private  religious  ex- 
ercises, but  not  so  far  awakened  as  to  prevent 
them  from  being  easily  lulled  to  sleep,  by  the 
least  degree  of  attention,  however  forced  and 
hurried,  to  the  duties  of  the  closet?  Educa- 
tion, or  custom,  or  the  consciousness  of  mak- 
ing a  public   profession  of  religion,  renders 


58  SECRET    PRAYER. 

sonie  regard  to  duties  of  this  kind,  on  the  part 
of  such  persons,  necessary  to  their  comfort ; 
but  the  enjoyment  which  they  thus  obtain  is 
by    no    means    of  a    spiritual   or   devotional 
character;  it  is  merely  the  removal,  or  the 
prevention  of  that  uneasy  feeling  which  would 
arise  from  pursuing  a  contrary  course.     Just 
as  much   religion  as  w'ill  satisfy  their  con- 
sciences will  suffice  for  this  purpose,  and  that 
is  an  object  not  difficult  to  accomplish.     But 
as  no  higher  end  is  contemplated,  the  devo- 
tional exercises  which  are  performed  with  this 
view  are  naturally  regarded  as  a  kind  of  pen- 
ance, which,  since  it  must  be  submitted  to,  it 
is  best  to  get  over  as  quickly  as  possible.    The 
privilege  of  approaching  God  as  the  Hearer  of 
prayer,  the  promised  spirit  of  grace  and  sup- 
plication, the  progress  of  the  divine  life  in  the 
soul,  the  advancement  of  inward  sanctifica- 
tion,  the  gradual  assimilation  of  the  character, 
the  temper,  and  habits,  to  the  lovely  example 
of  Christ,  the  sweetness  of  communion  with 
God,  the  joyful  hope  of  an  inheritance  incor- 
ruptible, undefiled,  and  unfading,  all  so  closely 
associated  in  the  mind  of  the  believer  with 
personal    and   secret   devotion,    are    neither 
known  nor  reo-arded. 

It  is  not  enough  to  say  that  devotional  ex- 
ercises, performed  in  the  manner  now  de- 
scribed, are  of  no  value;  they  are  in  many 
respects  positively  injurious.  They  prevent 
the  sinner  from  seeing  himself  in  his  true  char- 
acter, as  living  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
without  God  in  the  world.     They  furnish  him 


SECRET    PRAYER.  69 

with  the  cloak  of  religion :  he  is  led  to  regard 
himself  as  even  a  man  of  prayer ;  he  comforts 
himself  with  the  reflection  that  whatever  may- 
be his  faults,  he  is  not  wholly  inattentive  to 
the  duties  he  owes  to  his  Maker,  that  he  does 
not  even  neglect  secret  devotion,  a  duty  which 
he  may  with  good  reason  suspect  many  around 
him  of  omitting ;  he  is  aware  that  his  devo- 
tional exercises  are  not  so  well  performed  as 
they  ought  to  be,  but  then  there  are  imperfec- 
tions in  the  best,  and  he  must  expect  them  to 
exist  in  himself  as  well  as  in  others.  Thus 
the  individual  has  his  attention  withdrawn 
from  the  only  fact  regarding  which  his  reli- 
gious duties  furnish  any  information,  namely, 
that  he  is  Hving  the  life  of  a  mere  formalist. 
He  goes  through  his  prayers  as  a  task,  with- 
out wishing  to  allow  his  thoughts  to  come  into 
contact  with  the  meaning  of  the  words  which 
he  utters;  yet  such  is  the  blindness  of  the 
human  mind  that  even  this  fact  he  does  not 
discover.  Half  the  sagacity  which  he  mani- 
fests upon  every  other  subject,  would, enable 
him  to  perceive  that  his  heart  is  not  in  spiritual 
things,  that  his  enjoyments  wherever  else  they 
may  be  are  not  in  religion,  that  he  is  not  living 
by  faith  upon  Christ,  that  heaven  is  not  the 
home  of  his  affections,  that,  in  short,  his  trea- 
sure is  on  earth,  that  the  things  which  are 
seen,  and  not  those  which  are  unseen,  have 
power  to  excite  his  hopes  and  fears,  his  joys 
and  sorrows. 

Let  us  therefore  recommend,  as  a  matter 
of  indispensable  importance,  that  prayer  even 


60  SECRET    PRAYER. 

in  the  presence  of  others,  above  all,  that  se- 
cret prayer  should  be  performed  deliberately. 
Weigh  carefully  the  words  which  you  utter. 
When  you  are  quite  alone,  you  may  surely 
feel  that  the  number  of  your  words,  and  the 
fluency  of  your  utterance,  are  matters  not  to 
be  thought  of;  and  that  a  single  sentence,  like 
that  used  by  the  publican  when  he  said  "God, 
be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  uttered  with 
genuine  honesty  of  heart,  is  of  infinitely  more 
value  than  the  most  accurately  constructed 
composition  repeated  as  a  mere  form.  In  the 
presence  of  the  heart-searching  Jehovah  think 
well  what  you  are  doing,  and  before  whom 
you  stand  ;  dare  not  to  trifle  with  your  Maker  ; 
do  not  venture  to  take  his  name  into  your  lips 
without  considering  what  you  say;  presume 
not  to  address  him  in  words  which  you  scarcely 
understand,  or  which,  if  understood,  are  only 
a  lie  as  coming  from  your  lips.  If  your  time 
is  limited,  it  will  be  better  spent  in  offering  a 
single  petition  carefully  considered,  than  in 
travelling  hastily,  and  perhaps  irrev^erently, 
over  a  large  field.  Prayers  offered  with  due 
thought  and  deliberation,  will  not  be  rejected 
because  the  words  are  few. 

That  secret  prayer  should  be  accompanied 
with  reading  the  scriptures,  has  been  already 
mentioned,  and  is  a  point  to  which,  as  it  re- 
quires special  attention,  we  propose  to  devote 
one  of  the  following  chapters.  We  advert  to 
it  at  present,  in  order  to  notice  the  necessity, 
when  engaged  in  prayer,  of  having  the  eye 
fixed  upon  the  promises  of  the  Divine  word. 


SECRET    PRAYER.  61 

These  promises  are  in  fact  our  warrant  for 
approaching  God;  and  without  them  we  could 
have  no  assurance,  nor  indeed  any  well 
grounded  hope,  that  He  would  hear  our  re- 
quests, or,  in  any  way,  accept  of  our  worship. 
The  natural  attributes  of  the  Creator  are  mani- 
fested by  the  works  of  his  hands;  but  these 
works,  manifold  and  glorious  though  they  are, 
do  not  inform  us  that  he  is  accessible  by  mor- 
tals like  ourselves,  and  unassisted  reason  could 
never^have  discovered  that  the  Author  of  na- 
ture is  the  Hearer  of  prayer.  This  is  purely 
a  matter  of  revelation,  and  not  the  less  so  that 
some  notion  of  a  truth,  which,  when  once  re- 
vealed, is  so  obviously  of  the  greatest  import- 
ance, has  been  handed  down  by  tradition  in 
every  age,  even  among  heathens.  Indeed, 
nothing  can  show  more  clearly  that  the  light 
of  nature  is  unable  to  afford  any  satisfactory 
assurance  in  this  matter,  than  the  fact  that 
philosophers  in  our  own  day  have  reasoned 
themselves  into  a  denial  of  the  efficacy  of 
prayer.  But  the  word  of  God  sets  the  ques- 
tion completely  at  rest.  It  informs  us  that  the 
great  Ruler  of  the  universe  can  be  addressed 
by  creatures  so  insignificant  as  the  inhabitants 
of  our  world,  that  he  does  not  consider  it  pre- 
sumption in  us  to  hope  that  he  will  attend  to 
our  circumstances,  and  listen  to  our  supplica- 
tions. It  abounds  with  the  most  encouragina: 
assurances  that  he  is  the  Hearer  of  prayer, 
and  the  Answerer  of  requests,  that  he  is  more 
willing  to  hear  our  prayers  than  we  are  to 
offer  them,  that  he  is  the  Friend  of  the  friend- 

6 


62  SECRET    PRAYER. 

less  and  tne  Father  of  the  fatherless,  that  he 
lends  a  willing  ear  to  the  petitions  of  all  who 
call  upon  him  in  truth,  and  regards  their  com- 
plaints with  more  than  parental  tenderness. 
Nay,  more,  the  scriptures  contain  promises, 
not  merely  of  grace  and  mercy  in  general,  but 
of  innumerable  blessings  particularly  specified, 
and  these  promises  in  the  most  interesting  and 
suitable  of  all  forms;  showing  us  that  God  is 
not  only  willing  to  hear  our  prayers,  not  only 
has  pleasure  in  hearing  them,  not  only  has 
pointed  out  in  his  promises  the  particular  bless- 
ings which  we  need,  but  in  addition  to  all  this 
has  provided  the  very  petitions  we  are  to  offer, 
has  proposed  the  very  words  we  are  to  employ. 
The  book  of  Psalms  is  a  most  delightful  illus- 
tration of  the  truth  of  this  remark.  In  reading 
that  precious  book  we  should  beware  of  view- 
ing what  we  meet  with  as  merely  the  words 
of  David,  or  even  as  merely  the  words  of 
our  Lord.  They  are  the  words  which  the 
Hearer  of  prayer  has  selected,  as  an  appro- 
priate expression  to  those  feelings  and  desires 
on  our  part,  which  he  will  regard  with  accept- 
ance. As  a  type  corresponds  with  its  anti- 
type, and  as  a  mould  agrees  in  figure  with  that 
which  it  has  fashioned,  so  is  there  a  perfect 
correspondence  between  the  genuine  senti- 
ments of  a  true  worshipper,  and  the  words 
which  divine  wisdom  has  chosen  and  recorded 
for  his  use.  Nor  can  any  more  accurate  test 
be  desired  of  our  true  character  in  the  sight 
of  God,  than  by  inquiring  whether  the  language 
of  the  psalmist  is  the  language  of  our  hearts; 


SECRET    PRAYER.  60; 

whether  we  are  able  to  take  possession  of  it 
as  our  ow^n,  and  as  unspeakably  more  suited 
to  the  very  feelings  we  entertain,  than  any 
words  we  ourselves  could  ever  have  selected. 
It  is  indeed  possible  that  even  a  true  Christian 
may  find  much  in  the  scriptures,  and  even 
much  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  which  he  is  not 
at  all  times  able  thus  to  appropriate  ;  but  every 
believer  is  able  to  appropriate  part  of  what  he 
meets  with,  and  if  he  is  in  a  healthful  state, 
this  power  of  appropriation  is  increasing.  The 
word  of  God  is  his  proper  inheritance,  as  it  is 
his  chosen  portion.  Of  the  whole  of  this  in- 
heritance he  may  not  yet  have  taken  actual 
possession,  but  this  is  a  consummation  to 
which  he  is  constantly  advancing,  and  which 
every  exercise  of  christian  experience,  every 
trial,  every  joy,  brings  him  so  much  the  nearer. 
He  has  found  the  key  which  unlocks  the  trea- 
sure-house of  heaven,  and  in  due  time  all  its 
contents  shall  be  his  own.  "  The  law  of  thy 
mouth  is  better  to  me  than  thousands  of  gold 
and  silver,"  Psalm  cxix.  72. 

God  encourages  us  to  make  the  most  free 
and  unsparing  use  of  his  word,  when  we  ad- 
dress to  him  the  prayer  of  faith.  He  conde- 
scends to  invite  us  to  seek,  to  ask,  to  knock, 
to  plead  with  him,  to  put  him  in  remembrance. 
No  degree  of  earnestness  or  importunity  will 
be  displeasing  to  him,  even  although  it  may  be 
such  as  would  be  regarded  by  an  earthly  su- 
perior as  improper  and  offensive.  We  have 
approved  instances  recorded  of  persons  ivrest- 
ling,  striving,  agonizing,  offering  supplications 


64  SECRET    PRAYER. 

with  strong  crying  and  tears.  In  many  ways, 
but  especially  by  the  example  of  God's  deal 
ings  with  the  patriarchs,  are  we  taught  to  rely 
on  the  Divine  faithfulness.  How  much  has 
he  said,  and  how  much  has  he  done,  to  assure 
us  that  his  word  may  always  be  safely,  most 
safely,  trusted.  "  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham, 
the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob ;  this 
is  my  name  for  ever,  and  this  is  my  memorial 
unto  all  generations,"  Exod.  iii.  6,  15.  In  all 
our  applications  to  the  throne  of  grace,  it  is  at 
once  our  duty  and  privilege  to  make  use  of 
the  promises  of  the  divine  word.  This  gives 
us  an  unspeakable  advantage.  It  enables  us 
to  plead  not  only  the  wants  of  man,  but  also 
the  faithfulness  of  God ;  not  only  the  misery 
of  the  petitioner,  but  the  character  and  honour 
of  Him  to  whom  petitions  are  addressed. 

We  must  also  remark,  that  all  acceptable 
prayer  is  offered  through  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
only  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  In  his 
absolute  character,  as  Ruler  of  the  universe, 
we  could  expect  no  mercy  at  the  hands  of  our 
Maker.  The  inflexible  rectitude  of  his  moral 
government,  is  in  itself  supremely  excellent, 
and  to  all  holy  and  righteous  beings  must 
be  a  source  of  profound  satisfaction,  and  of 
adoring  praise.  But  with  sinners  who  liave 
already  broken  the  divine  law,  and  exposed 
themselves  to  its  curse,  the  case  is  widely  dif- 
ferent. From  absolute  justice  they  have  no- 
thing to  expect  but  punishment.  It  is  no  com- 
fort to  them  to  say,  "  Shall  not  the  Judge  of 
all  the  earth  do  right?"  for  to  do  merelv  what 
is  right  with  sinners,  must  be  to  punish  them. 


SECRET    PRAYER.  %Sk 

We  need  not  here  dwell  on  the  miserable 
condition  in  which  man  must  have  existed,  but 
for  the  intervention  of  the  Saviour,  nor  upon 
the  certain  condemnation  which  must  have 
frowned  upon  him,  at  once  from  the  charac- 
ter, the  government,  and  the  law  of  God. 
Neither  shall  we  wait  to  expatiate  on  the  glo- 
rious truth  that  a  Day's-man  has  been  provided 
who  lays  his  hand  upon  both  parties,  who 
effects  a  reconciliation  between  the  offended 
God,  and  the  poor  guilty  ofTending  creature. 
But  what  we  wish  to  advert  to  particularly, 
is,  that  Christ  has  not  only  satisfied  the  claims 
of  eternal  justice,  and  dehvered  his  people 
from  that  condemnation  which  their  sins  had 
merited,  but  has  provided  for  them  a  way  of 
access  to  the  throne  of  God.  Through  the 
same  Saviour  in  whom  God  is  revealed  to  us, 
is  he  also  revealed  as  the  Hearer  of  prayer. 
A  scheme  having  been  devised  and  executed, 
by  the  provisions  of  which,  he  who  is  abso- 
lutely just  becomes  the  justifier  of  the  ungodly, 
we  can  understand  how  man  can  hold  inter- 
course with  the  great  Jehovah  and  yet  live. 
As  Moses,  on  one  particular  occasion,  acted 
the  part  of  a  typical  mediator  between  God 
and  the  children  of  Israel,  so  Jesus  is  the  true 
Mediator  between  the  eternal  Lawgiver  and 
his  worshippers  in  every  age.  He  is  the  Pro 
phet  like  unto  Moses,  to  whom  sinners,  alarmed 
by  the  thunderings  and  lightnings  of  Sinai, 
may  still  say, — "  Speak  thou  with  us,  but  let 
not  God  speak  with  us,  lest  we  die."  Exodus 
XX.  19.     This   is   he   of  whom  Moses  said, 


66  SECRET    PRAYER. 

"  The  Lord  thy  God  will  raise  up  unto  thee  a 
Prophet  from  the  midst  of  thee,  of  thy  brethren, 
Hke  unto  me ;  unto  him  shall  ye  hearken :  ac- 
cording to  all  that  thou  desiredst  of  the  Lord 
thy  God  in  Horeb,  in  the  day  of  the  assembly, 
saying,  Let  me  not  hear  again  the  voice  of 
the  Lord  thy  God,  neither  let  me  see  this  great 
fire  any  more,  that  I  die  not." 

The  privilege  of  access  to  God  through  a 
Mediator,  was  variously  and  most  significantly 
typified  in  the  Old  Testament  worship.  Je- 
hovah was  represented  as  sitting  on  the 
mercy-seat,  and  dwelling  between  the  cheru- 
bim, where  he  heard  the  prayers  of  his  people, 
and  accepted  of  their  worship.  This  mercy- 
seat,  composed  of  solid  gold,  covering  the  ark 
of  the  covenant  with  the  ten  commandments, 
situated -in  the  most  holy  place,  overshadowed 
by  the  cherubim  of  glory,  and  distinguished 
by  the  Shekinah,  or  visible  symbol  of  the 
Divine  presence,  was  itself  an  eminent  type 
of  Christ,  "  whom,"  the  apostle  informs  us, 
*God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation, 
through  faith  in  his  blood."  Rom.  iii.  25. 
With  what  propriety  does  Jesus  therefore  say, 
"  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life." 
John  xiv.  6.  As  the  high-priest  under  the 
law  entered  once  every  year  into  the  most 
holy  place  with  the  sprinkling  of  blood,  and 
the  burning  of  incense,  so  Jesus  Christ,  our 
great  New  Testament  High  Priest,  has  en- 
tered within  the  veil,  even  into  heaven  itself, 
there  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us. 
It  is  on  this  ground  that  we  are  encouraged 


SECRET    PRAYER.  67 

to  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  ap- 
proach with  confidence  by  that  new  and  living 
way  which  he  hath  consecrated.  How  en- 
couraging the  declaration  of  the  apostle  John, 
"  If  any  man  sin,  w^e  have  an  advocate  with 
the  Father!"  1  John  ii.  1.  This  precious 
truth  should  be  realized  by  us  in  all  our 
approaches  to  God.  We  have  a  Friend  at  the 
court  of  Heaven,  a  faithful,  tender-hearted, 
yet  powerful  Friend,  a  Saviour  in  our  own 
nature,  one  with  us  in  covenant,  in  interest,  in 
feeling,  a  High  Priest  who  is  touched  with  a 
feeling  of  our  infirmities,  acquainted  with 
what  it  is  to  be  surrounded  with  miseries  and 
dangers,  and  to  pray  for  deliverance.  Have 
we  not  cause  to  fear  that  one  reason  why  our 
prayers  seem  so  feeble  and  powerless,  and 
attended  with  so  little  sensible  comfort  and 
advantage,  is  that  we  do  not  take  sufficient 
care  to  draw  near  to  God  in  that  only  way 
by  which  he  is  accessible,  even  by  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  ?  It  is  only  as  connected  with 
Christ,  that  the  promises  of  the  divine  word 
are  to  be  understood,  and  made  use  of  in 
prayer.  And  the  book  of  Psalms,  to  which 
we  have  already  made  particular  allusion,  as 
containing  the  most  precious  promises  often 
presented  to  us  in  the  very  form  of  petitions, 
becomes  yet  dearer  and  sweeter  when  re- 
ceived as  expressing  the  feelings  and  desires 
of  him  who,  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  offered 
up  prayers  and  supplications  with  strong 
crying  and  tears.  These  desires,  these  feel- 
ings we  are  also  encouraged  to  entertain  and 


68  SECRET    PRAYER. 

to  express  in  the  same  language.  Thus  Jesus 
is  at  once  our  covenant-head,  and  our  fore- 
runner ;  he  gives  us  a  legal  title  to  the  pro- 
mises, and  by  his  own  example  he  teaches  us 
how  to  use  these  promises.  Let  all,  therefore, 
who  would  acquaint  themselves  with  the 
Hearer  of  prayer,  be  careful  to  come  in  the 
only  appointed,  the  only  acceptable  way. 
And,  oh !  in  proportion  as  any  one  is  accus- 
tomed to  the  daily  exercise  of  coming  to  God 
by  Christ,  will  he  find  this  w^ay  so  sweet  and 
pleasant  as  to  prevent  him  from  desiring  any 
other. 

There  is  yet  another  truth,  nearly  allied  to 
this,  which  must  not  pass  unnoticed.  In 
secret  prayer,  as  in  every  other  kind  of  wor- 
ship, respect  must  be  had  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 
It  is  not  enough  to  know  that  this  divine 
Person  is  entitled  to  worship,  as  well  as  the 
Father  and  the  Son ;  it  must  also  be  known 
and  remembered,  that  one  of  the  offices 
which  he  executes  in  the  economy  of  grace, 
is  that  of  the  Spirit  of  prayer.  As  to  him  be- 
longs the  application  of  redemption,  the  re- 
generation of  the  soul,  the  production  of  faith, 
love,  penitence,  joy,  peace,  and  holy  desires, 
so  it  is  only  by  his  blessed  agency  upon  the 
heart  that  we  are  enabled  to  look  upon  God 
as  the  hearer  of  prayer,  upon  Christ  as  our 
Mediator,  Advocate,  and  Intercessor,  and  upon 
all  the  promises  of  scripture  as  the  word  of 
divine  truth,  and  entitled  to  the  most  unhesi- 
tating reliance.  This  is  a  most  important 
truth,  and,  simple   though   it   seems,  is,  we 


SECRET    PRAYER.  69 

fear,  liable  to  very  serious  abuse,  and,  there- 
fore requires  to  be  handled  with  caution. 
There  are  persons  to  be  tound  who  manifest 
a  disposition  to  excuse  themselves  in  the 
nec^lect  of  prayer,  by  referring  to  the  neces- 
sity of  the  Spirit,  and  alleging  that,  as  they 
do  not  enjoy  his  influences,  they  need  not 
attempt  a  duty  which  they  already  know  is 
above  their  strength.  They  speak  largely 
of  their  inability  to  pray  of  themselves  ;  and, 
professing  to  believe  that  without  divine  assis- 
tance their  prayers  would  be  only  vain  and 
hypocritical,  they  argue  that  the  safest  course 
for  themselves  is  to  abstain  from  this  duty 
altogether.  Perhaps  there  are  not  many  who 
would  express  this  conclusion  in  words,  but 
we  fear  there  are  not  a  few  who  act  upon 
it  in  practice.  Against  this  most  dangerous 
perversion  of  a  precious  truth  let  us  warn 
every  one,  and  especially  the  youthful  reader, 
in  the  most  distinct  and  emphatic  manner. 
Your  obligation  to  worship  God  does  not 
depend  on  your  enjoying  the  assistance  of  the 
Spirit.  This  obligation  devolves  on  you  as  a 
creature,  and  would  have  continued  in  all 
its  force,  although  no  revelation  had  ever 
been  made,  and  no  offer  of  grace  had  ever 
been  presented.  How  then  can  you  imagine 
such  an  obligation  to  be  repealed,  or  even 
diminished,  by  the  promise  of  divine  assis- 
tance? On  the  contrary,  it  is  hereby  greatly 
increased.  True,  the  influences  of  the  Spirit 
are  necessary  to  enable  you  to  pray ;  but  this 
doctrine  is  never  presented  in  scripture,  what- 


70  SECRET    PRAYER. 

ever  it  may  be  in  human  writings,  in  a  dis- 
couraging, but  always  in  an  encouraging  and 
gracious  aspect.  It  is  made  known,  not  to 
prevent  you  from  praying,  but  to  excite  you 
to  pray,  and  to  teach  you  how  you  may  be 
enabled  to  pray  aright.  It  is  revealed,  not  to 
plunge  you  in  despondency,  much  less  to  en- 
courage you  in  a  slothful  and  wicked  neglect 
of  an  obvious  and  important  duty  ;  but  to 
dissipate  your  fears,  and  animate  you  to  come 
boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace. 

If  more  is  required  to  be  said  on  this  topic, 
we  might  allude  to  the  fact  that  all  are  invited 
to  pray  for  the  Spirit,  as  the  Spirit  of  prayer. 
Were  it  intimated  that  a  blessing  so  indispen- 
sable to  acceptable  worship,  was  offered  only 
to  a  certain  class  of  men,  to  the  Jews,  or  any 
particular  nation  of  Gentiles,  or  to  persons  of 
only  one  particular  kindred,  or  tongue,  or 
people,  this  would  undoubtedly  be  discourag- 
ing; but  so  far  is  this  from  being  the  case, 
that,  in  no  one  instance,  are  the  perfect  free- 
ness  and  the  unlimited  universality  of  the  gos- 
pel offer  more  affectingly  exemplified,  than  in 
the  promise  of  the  Spirit :  "  If  ye  then,  being 
evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  to  your 
children,  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly 
Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him."  It  is  worthy  of  being  remarked  that 
this  promise,  as  recorded  by  one  of  the  evan- 
gelists, is  expressed  with  a  slight  variation 
from  the  words  now  quoted ;  and  the  latter 
part  of  the  verse  runs  thus,  "  how  much  more 
shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  give 


SECRET    PRAYER.  Tt* 

good  things  to  them  that  ask  him."  Compare 
Luke  xi.  13,  with  Matt.  vii.  11.  This  varia- 
tion is  not  accidental.  Unintentional  as  it 
obviously  was  on  the  part  of  the  evangelists, 
who  were  merely  the  penmen  of  the  books 
which  bear  their  names,  it  was  doubtless  de- 
signed on  the  part  of  the  Author  of  scripture, 
to  teach  us  this  important  truth,  that  the 
"  Holy  Spirit,"  and  "  good  things,"  as  pro- 
mised to  mankind,  are  in  every  practical  sense 
synonymous.  He  who  possesses  the  Spirit, 
possesses  in  the  same  proportion  all  that  is 
good ;  and  no  one  can  be  said  to  have  any 
thing  that  is  truly  good  who  is  destitute  of  the 
Spirit.  And  who  can  describe  the  value  of 
such  a  promise  as  this  !  Is  it  not  an  encour- 
agement that  in  our  approaches  to  God  in 
prayer,  we  have  not  only  divine  promises  on 
which  to  depend,  and  a  divine  Mediator 
through  whom  those  promises  are  confirmed, 
but  also  a  divine  Agent  to  operate  in  our  hearts 
and  enable  us  to  embrace  them !  Ousrht  it 
not  to  be  felt  as  a  heart-cheering  truth,  that 
the  way  to  reconciliation  and  communion 
with  the  Father  of  spirits  is  prepared,  by  there 
being  not  only  an  Advocate  in  heav^en  to  plead 
our  cause  with  God,  but  also  an  Advocate  in 
our  own  bosoms  to  plead  the  cause  of  God 
with  us  ?  Does  any  one  say,  "  this  is  more 
than  I  feel,  more  than  I  can  realize,"  we  an- 
swer, "  Enter  into  thy  closet,"  spread  the  pro- 
mises of  the  divine  word  before  you,  read 
them  again  and  again  on  your  bended  knees, 
and  plead  them  as  you  read  ;  think  of  God  as 


72  SECRET    PRAYER. 

the  Hearer  of  prayer  through  Christ,  'ook  to 
Jesus  as  the  all-prevailing  High  Priest  and 
Intercessor,  and  that  you  may  do  so,  pray  tor 
the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit. 

It  may  be  some  time  before  even  one  who 
is  honestly  seeking  the  way  to  Zion  with  his 
face  thitherward,  may  be  able  to  make  full 
use  of  the  access  which  is  thus  opened  before 
him  to  the  throne  of  grace.  But  be  encour- 
aged to  persevere,  h  any  real  comfort  is  de- 
rived either  from  a  view  of  God  as  revealed 
in  Christ,  or  from  the  character  of  the  Medi- 
ator himself,  or  from  the  promises  of  the  di- 
vine word,  or  from  the  offer  of  the  Spirit's 
assistance,  let  us  invite  you  to  follow  on  to 
know  the  Lord.  You  will  soon  find  that  it  is 
no  vain  thing  to  worship  God,  and  in  learning 
by  experience  that  He  is  the  hearer  of  pray- 
er;  your  faith  in  the  divine  promises  will  un- 
speakably increase.  The  excellent  John  New- 
ton, in  recording  the  events  of  his  life,  says  in 
reference  to  one  occasion :  "  About  this  time 
I  began  to  know  that  there  is  a  God  who 
hears  and  answers  prayer."  There  is  prob- 
ably a  time  in  the  life  of  every  Christian,  more 
or  less  distinctly  marked,  in  regard  to  which 
he  may  make  the  same  remark.  And  who 
can  tell  the  importance  of  that  period  ?  Per- 
sons born  in  a  Christian  land  and  believing, 
or  not  disbelieving  the  discoveries  of  the  gos- 
pel, have  been  made  acquainted  with  the  doc- 
trine as  an  abstract  truth  that  God  hears 
prayer.  They  have  read  of  it  in  scripture, 
they  have  been  instructed  in  it  by  their  teach- 


SECRET    PRAYER.  73 

ers,  they  have  perhaps  been  told  it  by  some 
who  had  put  it  to  the  trial,  they  "  have  heard 
of  it  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear."  But  if  they 
would  know  it  as  a  certain  reality,  they  must 
have  that  knowledge  which  is  founded  in  ex- 
perience. Then  shall  they  believe,  not  be- 
cause of  the  saying  of  others,  but  because  they 
have  themselves  tasted  and  seen  that  God  is 
good.  Let  not  any  one  suppose  that  this  is 
an  attainment  which  even  among  Christians 
is  confined  to  a  privileged  few,  and  to  which 
it  would  be  presumption,  or  at  least  hopeless, 
in  him  to  aspire.  It  is  an  attainment  without 
which  no  one  should  be  satisfied,  and  which 
is  just  as  much  within  the  reach  of  ordinary 
Christians  as  any  other  privilege  of  believers. 
Even  this  experience,  however,  is  itself  gra- 
dual, and  may  for  a  time  be  exceedingly 
feeble,  nay,  you  may  be  often  distressed  with 
the  fear  that  your  prayers  are  wholly  in  vain 
and  unprofitable.  But  if  you  have  grace, 
humbly,  patiently,  and  believingly,  to  perse- 
vere, you  shall  assuredly  find  that  it  is  good 
for  you  to  draw  near  unto  God.  "  The  meek 
He  will  guide  in  judgment,  and  the  meek  He 
will  teach  his  way."  Ps.  xxv.  9.  Happy  they, 
who  although  they  are  made  to  say  like  Da- 
vid, "  If  1  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the 
Lord  will  not  hear  me  ;"  are  yet  enabled  with 
him  to  add,  "  Verily  God  hath  heard  me,  he 
hath  attended  to  the  voice  of  my  prayer. 
Blessed  be  God  which  hath  not  turned  away 
mv  prayer,  nor  his  mercy  from  me."  Ps.  Ix. 
18,  19,  20. 

7 


CHAPTER  IV. 


ADORATION. 


We  have  already  said,  that  the  three  parts  of 
prayer  commonly  enumerated,  petition,  con- 
fession, and  thanksgiving,  do  not  include  all 
the  exercises  belonging  to  prayer.  One  prin- 
cipal objection  to  this  division  is,  that  it  does 
not  include  what  has  been  called  adoration. 
By  adoration  we  understand  the  expression 
of  the  feelings  of  love,  admiration,  and  rever- 
ence towards  God,  on  account  of  his  glorious 
perfections.  It  is  evidently  quite  a  separate 
exercise  from  either  the  confession  of  sin,  or 
the  offering  of  petitions.  Those  belong  to 
man  as  a  sinful  creature,  and  are  peculiar  to 
the  worship  of  the  present  world.  It  is  not  so 
with  adoration.  This  is  an  exercise  W'hich 
it  would  have  been  the  happiness  as  much  as 
the  duty  of  man  to  engage  in,  even  if  he  had 
never  sinned  ;  and  it  will  be  continued  in  hea- 
ven where  sin  and  suffering  are  unknown.  In 
the  offering  of  adoration,  we  have  a  fellows- 
ship  with  all  holy  creatures  throughout  the 
universe.  Here  man  unites  with  angels,  and 
earth  unites  with  heaven. 

The    distinction    between    adoration    and 

thanksgiving,  however,  is  perhaps  not  quite 

so  obvious ;  although  when  attended  to,  it  is 

easily  understood.     Thanksgiving  is  the  offer- 

74 


ADORATION.  75 

ing  of  gratitude  for  mercies  we  have  receiv- 
ed ;  adoration  is  the  offering  of  praise  for 
vi^hat  God  is  in  himself.  When  we  thank 
God,  we  think  of  some  benefit  he  has  con- 
ferred upon  us  ;  when  we  adore  him,  we  think 
of  his  own  attributes.  We  thank  him  for  Hfe 
and  heakh,  for  the  gift  of  his  Son,  for  the 
means  of  grace,  for  the  offer  of  pardon,  peace, 
and  purity,  and  for  the  hope  of  iieaven.  We 
adore  him  for  his  own  greatness  and  glory, 
for  his  holiness,  his  power,  his  wisdom,  his 
justice,  his  mercy,  his  faithfulness.  We  thank 
him  for  what  he  has  done ;  we  adore  him  for 
w^hat  he  is.  It  is  true,  thanksgiving  and  ad- 
oration may  both  have  respect  to  the  works 
of  God  ;  both  ought  to  be  excited  by  a  view 
of  the  works  of  creation,  the  dispensations  of 
providence,  and  the  scheme  of  grace;  but  when 
we  thank  God  for  these,  we  think  of  their  re- 
lation to  us  ;  when  we  adore  him  on  account 
of  these,  we  think  of  their  relation  to  himself; 
when  they  excite  our  gratitude,  we  consider 
the  blessings  they  convey,  and  our  obligations 
arising  therefrom ;  when  they  excite  our  ad- 
oration, we  regard  them  as  manifesting  the 
Divine  character,  and  proclaiming  tne  glory 
of  those  attributes  which  they  disclose.  It  is 
thus  evident  that  while  these  two  exercises, 
both  of  them  becoming  and  delightful,  are 
closely  connected,  and  are  very  commonly 
united  in  the  feelings  of  the  Christian,  as  well 
as  in  his  ascriptions  of  praise,  they  are  at  the 
same  time  perfectly  distinguishable;  and  it  is 
also  evident  that  adoration  is  the  higher  and 


76  ADORATION. 

more  exalted  exercise  of  the  two.  When 
engaged  in  it,  we  act  under  the  influence  of 
love  to  God,  not  only  for  what  he  is  to  us,  but 
for  what  he  is  in  himself;  we  delight  to  look 
at  his  glory  on  account  of  its  own  beauty  and 
brightness,  as  well  as  on  account  of  the  fa- 
vours with  which  its  manifestation  is  fraught; 
we  rejoice  even  in  his  favours,  not  merely 
because  of  the  happiness  they  bring  to  us,  and 
the  blessed  prospects  they  set  before  us,  but 
because  of  what  they  show  us  of  the  heart 
and  character  of  the  Giver. 

As  the  glory  of  God  is  the  great  and  ulti- 
mate end  of  all  his  works,  so  the  exercise  of 
ascribing  glory  to  his  name  is  a  part  of  all 
acceptable  worship.  It  is  not  enough  that  the 
Divine  glory  be  promoted  by  man,  as  it  is  by 
the  inanimate  and  irrational  part  of  creation, 
involuntarily  and  unconsciously.  The  works 
of  nature,  being  the  fruit  of  infinite  power, 
skill,  and  benevolence,  display  the  omnipo- 
tence, the  wisdom,  and  the  goodness  of  the 
Creator.  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of 
God  ;  and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handi- 
work." Ps.  xix.  1.  And  the  more  exalted  the 
creature,  the  better  is  it  fitted  to  serve  the  end 
for  which  it  was  made.  A  stone,  a  plant,  an 
insect,  a  bird,  a  beast,  a  man,  an  angel,  are 
all  the  workmanship  of  God,  and  they  all  pro- 
mote his  glory ;  but  they  do  so  in  very  difler- 
ent  degrees.  As  we  ascend  in  the  scale  of 
creation,  we  meet  with  greater  displays  of 
divine  intelligence  and  beneficence,  and  when 
we  advance  to  the  human  and  angelic  crea- 


ADORATION.  77 

tures,  we  behold  a  manifestation  of  the  moral 
perfections  of  the  Deity.  The  powers  of  rea 
son  and  understanding,  of  thought  and  emo- 
tion, of  moral  perception  and  feeUng,  of  anti- 
cipating and  enjoying  an  immortahty  of  exist- 
ence, and  above  all,  the  capacity  of  knowing, 
and  worshipping,  and  obeying  God,  separate 
them  by  an  unspeakable  distance  from  all  the 
lower  tribes,  and,  in  the  same  proportion, 
qualify  them  for  glorifying  their  Maker.  The 
earth,  with  its  rivers,  and  seas,  and  oceans, 
its  mountains,  and  islands,  and  continents; 
the  sun,  and  moon,  and  stars,  and  all  the  hosts 
of  the  firmament,  together  with  all  the  tribes 
of  vegetable  and  animal  existence  which  peo- 
ple the  land  and  the  waters,  were  created  to 
promote  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  glory  they 
all  promote.  But  they  do  this  according  to 
their  nature,  not  actively,  but  passively ;  they 
serve  the  end  of  their  being  without  knowing 
that  they  do  so.  But  man  is  intended  to  pro- 
mote the  divine  glory  both  passively  and  ac- 
tively. The  exquisite  structure  and  organiza- 
tion of  his  body,  which  is  "  fearfully  and  won- 
derfully made,"  exhibits  as  much,  if  not  more, 
of  the  power,  benevolence,  and  skill  of  its 
Maker,  as  the  fairest  of  natural  objects,  or  the 
mightiest  and  most  gigantic  forms  of  animated 
exisfence.  And  his  soul,  with  its  faculties  of 
intelligence,  judgment,  will,  aflfections,  con- 
science, and  imagination,  is,  even  considered 
simply  as  a  piece  of  workmanship,  a  glorious 
manifestation  of  the  Divine  perfections.  Be 
ing  created  "in  the  image  of  God,"  the  na- 


78  ADORATION. 

tural  and  moral  attributes  of  Deity  were  in- 
tended to  be  continually  reflected  from  his 
soul,  and  from  all  his  actions.  As  he  was 
formed  lord  of  the  lower  world,  so  it  was  his 
peculiar  honour  and  privilege  to  have  the  ca- 
pacity of  voluntarily  and  intentionally  devot- 
ing his  powers  and  energies  to  the  glory  of 
his  Creator.  It  is  his  failing  to  occupy  this 
high  station,  that  is  the  guilt,  the  misery,  the 
degradation  of  man  in  his  present  fallen  state. 
Neglect  of  the  Divine  glory  is  the  first  and 
greatest,  as  it  is  also  the  origin  and  source, 
of  all  transgressions.  It  is  no  slight  ofience 
of  which  the  gentiles  are  convicted,  when  the 
apostle  charges  them  with  "  worshipping  and 
serving  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator, 
who  is  blessed  for  ever.  Amen."  Rom.  i.  25. 
The  obligation  to  glorify  God  which  de- 
volves on  man  as  a  creature,  is  not  removed, 
nor  even  diminished,  by  the  sinful  state  into 
which  he  has  fallen.  On  the  contrary,  the 
way  of  salvation  provided  by  divine  wisdom 
and  love,  adds  inconceivably  to  this  obliga- 
tion. "  Ye  are  not  your  own,  for  ye  are 
bought  with  a  price  ;  therefore  glorify  God  in 
your  body  and  in  your  spirit  which  are  God's." 
1  Cor.  vi.  19,20.  "Whether  therefore  ye 
eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoev^er  ye  do,  do  all  to 
the  glory  of  God."  1  Cor.  x.  31.  It  would 
lead  us  away  from  our  present  subject  were 
we  to  offer  any  explanation  of  these  and  sim- 
ilar injunctions,  or  to  attempt  to  show  how 
the  great  end  of  our  being  is  to  be  kept  in 
view,  in  the  transactions  of  business,  and  in 


ADORATION.  79 

all  the  ordinary  duties  of  life.  But  nothing 
can  be  more  obvious  than  that  if  we  are  bound 
by  obligations  the  highest  and  most  impres- 
sive to  glorify  God  continually,  and  that  in 
the  most  common  actions,  this  object  ought  to 
be  especially  present  to  our  thoughts  when 
immediately  engaged  in  the  exercises  of  wor- 
ship. Whilst  we  honour  his  authority  by 
obeying  his  commands,  and  honour  his  faith- 
fulness by  relying  on  his  promises,  and  hon- 
our his  sovereignty  by  submitting  to  his  dis- 
pensations, and  honour  him  in  all  things  by 
having  an  eye  to  his  glory  in  whatever  we  do 
or  suffer,  we  must  also  honour  him  as  the 
Hearer  of  prayer,  by  drawing  near  to  his 
throne,  magnifying  his  perfections,  and  ren- 
dering in  the  direct  homage  of  praise,  that 
glory  which  is  due  unto  his  name.  "  Whoso 
ofFereth  praise  glorifieth  me."  Ps.  1.  23. 

We  find  the  exercises  of  the  pious,  as  re- 
corded to  us  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  and  in- 
deed throughout  the  scriptures,  abounding 
with  the  language  of  adoration.  When  the 
Lord  saved  Israel  from  the  hand  of  the  Egyp- 
tians by  causing  them  to  walk  on  dry  land  in 
the  midst  of  the  sea,  we  are  told  that  the  peo- 
ple "  feared  the  Lord,  and  believed  the  Lord 
and  his  servant  Moses."  The  joyful  feelings 
occasioned  by  a  deliverance  so  signal  and  so 
obviously  the  result  of  divine  power  and 
goodness,  produced  for  the  time  the  most 
sincere  and  lively  gratitude.  No^-  did  the 
song  of  praise,  in  which  those  feelings  found 
utterance,  express   merely   the   emotion   of 


80  ADORATION. 

thankfulness;  the  people  rejoiced  in  the  display 
which  had  been  afforded  of  the  perfections 
of  Jehovah,  and  of  his  infinite  superiority  to 
all  the  gods  of  the  heathen.  "  Who  is  like 
unto  thee,  O  Lord,  among  the  gods  ?  who  is 
like  unto  thee,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in 
praises,  doing  wonders?"  Exod.  xv.  11. 
The  divine  glory  is  distinctly  stated  before- 
hand as  the  main  object  to  be  promoted  by 
this  deliverance.  "  I  will  get  me  honour  upon 
Pharaoh,  and  upon  all  his  host,  upon  his  char- 
iots, and  upon  his  horsemen.  And  the  Egyp- 
tians shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  when  I 
have  gotten  me  honour  upon  Pharaoh,  and 
upon  his  chariots,  and  upon  his  horsemen." 
Exod.  xiv.  17,  18.  This  was  intended  most 
emphatically  to  teach  the  Israelites  that  the 
honour  of  Jehovah  was  of  more  importance 
than  their  safety,  and  that  the  disclosure  of 
power,  of  mercy,  of  faithfulness,  which  he 
was  about  to  make  in  their  sight  and  in  the 
sight  of  the  heathen,  was  more  worthy  of 
admiration  and  praise  than  their  own  deliver- 
ance from  the  ''  iron  furnace."  And  in  har- 
mony with  this  is  the  song  of  Moses  ;  "  Thy 
right  hand,  O  Lord,  is  become  glorious  in 
power:  thy  right  hand,  O  Lord,  hath  dashed 
in  pieces  the  enemy.  And  in  the  greatness 
of  thine  excellency  thou  hast  overthrown  them 
that  rose  up  against  thee."  Exod.  xv.  G,  7. 
No  idea  suggests  itself  more  frequently  on 
a  diligent  perusal  of  the  devotional  exercises 
of  the  Old  Testament  church,  than  the  delight 
with  which  the  superiority  of  the  true  God  to 


ADORATION.  81 

all  other  objects  of  worship  w;  s  regarded. 
In  reply  to  the  command  addressed  to  him  at 
f'oreb  from  the  burning  bnsh,  to  go  unto 
Pharaoh  and  to  bring  forth  the  people  of 
Israel  out  of  Egypt,  Moses  ventured  to  ask 
the  name  of  him  by  whom  he  was  sent  with 
such  an  important  commission.  To  this  in- 
quiry there  was  returned  the  following  answer: 
— *'  I  AM  THAT  I  AM ;  thus  shalt  thou  say  unto 
the  children  of  Israel,  I  am  hath  sent  me  unto 
you."  Exod.  iii.  14.  The  great  name  Je- 
hovah was  henceforth  to  distinguish  the  God 
of  Israel,  and  to  be  associated  in  the  minds 
of  his  people,  and  in  all  their  worship  and 
obedience)  with  their  deliverance  from  Egyp- 
tian bondage.  "  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God  which 
have  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  Thou  shalt 
have  no  other  gods  before  me."  Exod.  xx. 
1,  2.  Many  were  the  instructions  and  warn- 
ings delivered  by  Moses,  requiring  them  to 
fear  Jehovah,  to  worship  him  only,  and  to 
swear  by  his  name  ;  and  the  well-known  song, 
which  towards  the  conclusion  of  his  earthly 
pilgrimage  he  taught  them  to  repeat,  is  in 
beautiful  harmony  with  the  great  object  to 
which  his  life  and  labours  had  been  devoted. 
'•  Give  ear,  O  heavens,  and  I  will  speak ;  and 
hear,  O  earth,  the  words  of  my  mouth.  My 
doctrine  shall  drop  as  the  rain,  my  speech 
shall  distil  as  the  dew;  as  the  small  rain  upon 
the  tender  herb,  and  as  the  showers  upon  the 
grass :  because  I  will  publish  the  name  of  Je- 
hovah."    Deut.  xxxii.  1 — 3.     It  was  not  his 


82  ADORATION. 

own  praises,  nor  yet  the  praises  of  the  people 
under  him,  which  this  venerable  commander 
dehghted  lo  celebrate.  He  says  nothing  of  the 
wisdom,  the  courage,  the  fidelity,  or  even  of 
the  success,  by  which  his  own  most  extra- 
ordinary career  had  been  distinguished ;  nor 
does  he,  as  the  leaders  of  armies  and  founders 
of  states  are  accustomed  to  do,  expatiate  on 
the  good  conduct  of  his  followers  and  the 
bravery  of  his  troops.  The  only  occasions 
on  which  he  directs  attention  to  himself  and 
the  people,  manifest  a  state  of  feeling  very 
different  from  this.  "  Ye  have  been  rebellious 
against  the  Lord  from  the  day  that  I  knew 
you."  Deut.  ix.  24.  "  The  Lord  was  angry 
with  me  for  your  sakes,  and  sware  that  I 
should  not  go  over  Jordan,  and  that  I  should 
not  go  in  unto  that  good  land  which  the  Lord 
thy  God  giveth  thee  for  an  inheritance." 
Deut.  iv.  21.  But  how  full  of  holy  admiration 
is  his  language,  when  he  contemplates  the 
perfections  of  the  divine  character.  "  He  is 
the  rock,  his  work  is  perfect ;  for  all  his  ways 
are  judgment ;  a  God  of  truth  and  without 
iniquity;  just  and  right  is  he."  Deut.  xxxii.  4. 
Nor  are  sentiments  of  this  kind  by  any  means 
peculiar  to  Moses ;  they  pervade  the  whole 
of  the  sacred  volume,  and  are  common  to  the 
people  of  God  in  every  age.  Indeed,  one  of 
the  most  satisfactory  proofs,  which  a  careful 
reader  of  the  scriptures  continually  meets 
with  of  their  divine  original,  consists  in  the 
perfect  harmony  which  prevails  in  this  respect 
among  all  the  sacred  writers,  however  distant 


ADORATION.  83 

the  times  or  dissimilar  the  circumstances  in 
wnich  they  Hved.  From  the  days  of  Moses 
to  those  of  Malachi,  the  first  and  the  last  of 
the  Old  Testament  penmen,  there  intervened 
a  period  of  at  least  a  thousand  years,  and 
many  and  important  were  the  changes  which 
during  that  long  period  had  passed  over  the 
Jewish  people  ;  but  in  the  views  and  feelings 
of  the  true  worshippers  of  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham, we  can  observe  no  change.  After  de- 
scribing the  wickedness  of  the  priests,  the 
rulers,  and  the  people,  which  prevailed  in  his 
day,  the  last  of  the  Hebrew  prophets  adds, 
"  Then  they  that  feared  Jehovah  spake  often 
one  to  another ;  and  Jehovah  hearkened  and 
heard  it,  and  a  book  of  remembrance  was 
written  before  him  for  them  that  feared 
Jehovah,  and  that  thought  upon  his  name." 
Mai.  iii.  16.  The  same  name  which  the 
great  Jewish  legislator  resolved  to  publish, 
and  the  publication  of  which  made  his  words 
copious  and  refreshing  like  the  rain  and  the 
dew,  continued  to  afford  matter  of  holy  and 
delightful  meditation  in  the  days  of  Malachi. 
At  all  times  the  praises  of  the  truly  pious 
have  been  excited  by  the  character  of  God 
as  well  as  by  the  acts  of  his  goodness ;  have 
celebrated  the  glory  of  his  perfections  as  well 
as  the  favours  which  he  has  bestowed  ;  have 
expressed  the  emotions  of  adoration,  not  less 
than  those  of  thanksgiving. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  for  persons  in  a  Chris- 
tian land  to  form  an  adequate  conception  of 
the  feelings  with  which  the  ancient  Israelites, 


84  ADORATION. 

surrounded  as  they  were  by  heathen  idolaters, 
worshipped  Him  whom  they  knew  to  be  the 
only  living  and  true  God.  Too  often  they  for- 
got that  it  was  their  peculiar  duty  and  privi- 
lege to  preserve  the  knowledge  of  Jehovah  in 
the  world,  whilst  all  other  nations  were  en- 
slaved by  the  degrading  superstitions  of  poly- 
theism ;  and  instead  of  diffusing  around  them 
the  light  of  divine  truth,  they  followed  the 
heathen,  and  learned  their  ways.  But  how 
full  of  holy  and  dehghtful  emotion  were  the 
songs  and  the  worship  of  ancient  Zion,  par- 
ticularly on  occasion  of  her  special  solemni- 
ties !  "  Oh !  sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song ; 
sing  unto  Jehovah  all  the  earth.  For  Jehovah 
is  great,  and  greatly  to  be  praised ;  he  is  to 
be  feared  above  all  gods ;  for  all  the  gods  of 
the  nations  are  idols.  But  Jehovah  made  the 
heavens;  honour  and  majesty  are  before  him  ; 
strength  and  beauty  are  in  his  sanctuary," 
Psalm  xcvi.  1, 4,  5, 6.  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Jehovah  ! 
not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  give  glory,  for 
thy  mercy  and  for  thy  truth's  sake.  Where- 
fore should  the  heathen  say.  Where  is  now 
their  God  ?  But  our  God  is  in  the  heavens ;  he 
hath  done  whatsoever  he  hath  pleased.  Their 
idols  are  silver  and  gold,  the  woik  of  men's 
hands.  O  Israel !  trust  thou  in  Jehovah,"  Pj,alm 
cxv.  1,  2,  3,  4,  9. 

If  from  the  exercises  of  public  worship,  we 
turn  to  the  private  meditations  of  individuals, 
we  shall  find  examples  of  adoration  not  less 
instructive.  "  I  will  praise  thee,  lor  I  am  fear- 
fully and  wonderfully  made;  marvellous  are 


ADORATION.  85 

thy  worlxs,  and  that  my  soul  knoweth  right 
well,"  Psalm  cxxxix.  14.  It  was  not  so  much 
gratitude  to  his  Maker  for  creating  him,  that 
the  Psalmist  felt  when  he  uttered  these  words, 
as  admiration  of  the  divine  handicraft  in  his 
formation.  It  is  the  same  sentiment,  whether 
it  be  awakened  by  the  names,  the  attributes, 
or  the  works  of  God,  by  the  riches  of  his 
grace,  the  excellence  of  his  salvation,  or  the 
stability  of  his  promises.  We  find  it  some- 
times mingled  with  love,  sometimes  with  gra- 
titude, sometimes  with  faith  and  hope,  and 
sometimes  with  holy  joy.  Of  this  last  we  have 
a  beautiful  and  well-known  example  in  the  lan- 
guage of  Asaph: — "Whom  have  I  in  heaven 
but  thee,  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I 
desire  besides  thee.  My  flesh  and  my  heart 
faileth;  but  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart, 
and  my  portion  for  ever,"  Psalm  Ixxiii.  25,  26. 
It  was  the  opportunity  which  they  aflbrded  of 
contemplating  that  glory  which  calls  forth 
from  the  pious  heart  expressions  of  adoring 
praise,  that  rendered  the  house  and  ordinances 
of  God  so  precious  in  the  eyes  of  David.  "  One 
thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I 
seek  after,  that  I  may  dw^ell  in  the  house  of 
the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  enquire  in  his  tetn- 
ple,"  Psalm  xxvii.  4.  And  when  separated,  by 
a  temporary  banishment,  from  his  throne  and 
his  kingdom,  through  the  unnatural  rebellion 
of  a  worthless  son,  it  was  his  absence  from 
God's  house  that  occasioned  him  the  deepest 

8 


86  ADORATION. 

regret.  Neither  his  own  loss  of  power,  nor 
the  unfaithfulness  of  his  people,  nor  the  num- 
ber and  power  of  his  enemies,  produced  in  his 
mind  such  deep  sorrow  as  his  distance  from 
the  much  loved  ordinances  of  Zion.  "  As  the 
hart  panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so  panteth 
my  soul  after  thee,  O  God.  My  soul  thirsteth 
for  God,  for  the  hving  God;  when  shall  I 
come  and  appear  before  God  ?"  Psalm  xlii.  1,  2. 
We  have  said  that  the  exercises  of  adora- 
tion have  special  reference  to  the  Divine  at- 
tributes ;  and  among  these  attributes  it  may 
here  be  added,  that  the  moral  perfections  of 
God  are  particularly  celebrated  in  the  praises 
of  his  people ;  even  angels  adore  God  chiefly 
on  account  of  his  holiness.  In  this  attribute 
there  is  a  beauty  and  excellence  which  fills 
with  admiration  "  the  bright  and  burning  sera- 
phim." Thus  Isaiah,  in  describing  that  vision 
which  is  recorded  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  his 
book,  informs  us  that  "  one  cried  to  another, 
and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
The  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory,"  Isa.  vi. 
3.  The  four  living  creatures  described  by 
John  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  Revelation,  are 
represented  as  resting  not  day  and  night,  say- 
ing, "  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty, 
which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come,"  Rev.  iv.  8. 
In  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  same  book,  we 
learn  that  the  song  of  those  who  had  gotten 
the  victory  over  the  beast,  and  over  his  image, 
and  who  stand  upon  the  sea  of  glass,  includes, 
among  other  ascriptions  of  praise,  an  allusion 


ADORATION.  87; 

to  the  same  divine  attribute  of  holiness ; — 
"  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify 
thy  name  ?  for  thou  only  art  holy  !"  Rev.  xv.  4. 
Nor  is  any  other  attribute  so  often  express- 
ly mentioned  in  the  adorations  of  the  saints 
on  earth.  If  divine  power  is  magnified,  it  is 
the  holiness  displayed  in  the  exercise  of  power 
that  engages  their  attention.  "  Oh !  sing  unto 
the  Lord  a  new  song,  for  he  hath  done  mar- 
vellous things;  his  right  hand  and  his  holy 
arm  hath  gotten  him  the  victory."  Ps.  xcviii. 
L  If  the  great  and  terrible  majesty  of  God 
is  the  subject  of  praise,  it  is  the  holiness  con- 
bined  with  that  majesty  which  they  especially 
celebrate.  "  The  Lord  is  great  in  Zion,  he  is 
high  above  all  people.  Let  them  praise  thy 
great  and  terrible  name,  for  it  is  holy."  Ps. 
xcix.  2,  3.  If  infinite  eternal  justice  attracts 
their  notice,  they  forget  not  at  the  same  time 
to  look  at  the  holiness  by  which  its  manifesta- 
tions are  characterized.  "  Thou  tookest  ven- 
geance of  their  inventions.  Exalt  the  Lord 
our  God,  and  worship  at  his  holy  hill ;  for  the 
Lord  our  God  is  holy."  Ps.  xcix.  8,  9.  Even 
when  they  sing  of  the  Divine  mercy  and  faith- 
fulness, the  holiness  of  God  is  not  forgotten. 
*'  Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  glad- 
ness for  the  upright  in  heart.  Rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  ye  righteous;  and  give  thanks  at  the 
remembrance  of  his  holiness."  Ps.  xcvii.  II, 
12.  In  cherishing  these  sentiments.  Chris- 
tians in  our  day  have  not  only  the  example 
of  Old  Testament  saints  set  before  them  for 
imitation,  they  have  also  the  example  of  our 


88  ADORATION. 

blessed  Saviour  himself.  In  the  midst  of  his 
most  bitter  sufferings  he  delighted  to  adore  the 
Divine  holiness,  even  although  that  holiness 
was  in  one  sense  the  cause  of  his  sufferings. 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me  ?  why  art  thou  so  far  from  helping  me, 
and  from  the  words  of  my  roaring  ?'  Ps.  xxii. 
1.  A  most  appropriate  question  this  seems, 
and  upon  a  most  astonishing  subject.  Did 
God  the  Father  in  very  deed  forsake  his  eter- 
nal, his  well-beloved  Son  1  What  had  that  Son 
ever  done  to  merit  such  treatment?  What  is 
there  in  the  history,  the  life,  the  conduct  of 
even  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  to  justify  his  being 
deserted  by  God?  How  can  such  bitter 
agony,  such  extreme  suffering,  administered 
to  one  perfectly  pure  and  spotless,  be  recon- 
ciled with  the  dictates  of  infinite  rectitude  ? 
Such  a  spectacle  was  never  before  beheld, 
and  will  never  be  beheld  again.  Who  in  hea- 
ven or  on  earth  is  able  to  explain  it  ?  The 
explanation  is  furnished  by  the  sufferer  him- 
self "  O  my  God,  I  cry  in  the  day  time,  but 
thou  hearest  not;  and  in  the  night  season, 
and  am  not  silent.  But  thou  art  holy."  Ps. 
xxii.  2,  3.  Jesus  suffers  not  for  himself,  but 
for  others ;  he  stands  in  the  room  of  sinners 
whose  substitute  he  has  voluntarily  become. 
The  sentence  of  that  law  which  they  had 
broken  takes  effect  upon  him,  and  thus  the 
holiness  of  God  is  consistent  with  his  suffer- 
ings, explains  his  sufferings,  nay  more,  de- 
mands his  sufferings.  The  moral  character 
of  God  is  thus  at  once  completely  vindicated, 


ADORATION.  89 

and  most  gloriously  illustrated ;  and  the  know- 
ledge of  this  supported  the  soul  of  the  Re- 
deemer, even  in  that  awful  hour  when  the  cup 
of  Jehovah's  wrath  was  put  into  his  hands. 
When  his  distress  was  the  deepest,  he  drew 
comfort  from  the  thought  that  the  Divine  law 
whose  penalty  he  was  enduring  was  holy, 
that  the  Divine  hand  which  pressed  upon  him 
was  holy,  that  the  Divine  countenance  which 
was  averted  from  him  was  holy;  nay,  his 
sufferings  were  the  very  means  of  exhibiting 
the  Divine  holiness  in  its  greatest  brightness. 
"  Thou  art  holy.  O  thou  that  inhabitest  the 
praises  of  Israel." 

It  is  possible  that  some  who  may  read  these 
pages,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  instruction 
as  to  how  they  shall  themselves  conduct  the 
duty  of  secret  prayer,  (and  it  is  for  such  read- 
ers exclusively  that  we  write,)  may  feel  rather 
disquieted  than  encouraged,  by  what  has  been 
advanced  on  this  part  of  the  subject.  They 
mav  fear  that  to  those  emotions  of  admiration, 
love,  and  holy  rejoicing,  which  find  their  pro- 
per utterance  in  the  language  ©-f  adoration, 
they  are  in  a  great  measure  strangers.  They 
do  not  find  it  so  difficult  to  regard  with  grati- 
tude the  many  instances  of  divine  goodness 
which  they  are  made  to  experience ;  but  the 
hiofher  exercise  of  lovinf^  God  on  his  own  ac- 
count,  and  adoring  him  for  what  he  is  in 
himself,  seems  an  attainment  which  they  know 
not  how  to  reach.  But  even  the  very  dis- 
covery of  this  deficiency  is  itself  a  point  gain- 
ed.    Yet  a  person  in  the  circumstances  now 

8* 


90  ADORATION. 

described  knows  not  what  to  do,  and,  looking 
for  direction,  he  asks  such  questions  as  these : 
— Am  I  to  make  use  of  the  language  of  ad- 
oration, whilst  the  feeUngs  which  it  expresses 
exist  not  in  my  bosom,  or  am  I  to  refrain  from 
using  it?  Am  I  to  extol  the  name  and  the 
perfections  of  the  great  Jehovah  in  words 
which  give  utterance  to  sentiments  I  do  not 
entertain,  or  am  I  to  neglect  the  exercise  of 
adoration  altogether?  In  the  former  case  am 
I  not  guilty  of  hypocrisy?  in  the  latter  am  I 
not  chargeable  with  the  omission  of  an  obvi- 
ous duty  ? 

Anxious  as  we  are  to  treat  with  the  great- 
est gentleness  the  state  of  mind  which  would 
prompt  to  such  inquiries  as  these,  we  cannot 
depart  from  the  principle  laid  down  in  the  last 
chapter,  that  in  every  part  of  prayer  one  of 
the  first  things  to  be  observed  is  sincerity. 
We  say  not  indeed  that  it  is  better  to  omit  the 
worship  of  God  than  to  employ  words  which 
are  not  sincere,  and  it  is  unnecessary  to  draw 
a  comparison  between  two  evils  which  are 
both  so  great ;  but  it  is  unquestionably  of  vital 
importance  that  prayer  in  general,  and  adora- 
tion in  particular,  should  be  the  genuine  utter- 
ance of  the  heart.  When  any  individual  is 
conscious  that  his  adorations  are  not  of  this 
description,  let  him  seek  deliverance  from  the 
sin  of  hypocrisy,  not  by  leaving  off  the  form 
of  prayer,  but  by  seeking  to  have  the  sub- 
stance as  well  as  the  form  ;  not  by  ceasing  to 
offer  praises  because  his  heart  has  no  share  in 
them,  but  by  bringing  his  heart  to  join  in  the 


ADORATION.  91 

praises  which  he  offers ;  not  by  reducing  his 
language  to  correspond  with  the  state  of  his 
feelings,  but  by  raising  his  feehngs  to  corres- 
pond with  the  import  of  his  language. 

Here  we  may  he  met  by  another  question ; — 
How  is  this  object  to  be  accomplished  ?  How 
am  I  to  obtain  this  sincerity  ?  What  means 
am  I  to  employ,  that  my  heart  may  be  brought 
to  unite  in  those  ascriptions  of  praise  with 
which  it  is  my  duty  to  approach  the  throne  of 
Jehovah?  To  this  we  reply: — Pray  for  the 
sincerity  of  which  you  feel  the  want,  and  en- 
treat the  Lord  to  grant  you  his  Holy  Spirit 
for  this  special  purpose.  It  is  well  that  you 
are  not  wholly  ignorant  of  the  state  of  your 
heart ;  although,  were  you  more  fully  enlight- 
ened, you  would  doubtless  perceive  a  much 
greater  amount  of  imperfection,  of  sin,  and 
hypocrisy,  in  your  by-past  addresses  to  the 
Hearer  of  prayer  than  you  have  yet  discover- 
ed. But  the  light  which  you  have  is  valuable ; 
use  it  conscientiously  and  it  will  increase.  If 
the  acceptance  of  your  prayers  depended  on 
their  own  inherent  merit,  then  assuredly,  the 
insincerity  which  you  have  found  in  your  acts 
of  worship  might  fill  j^ou  with  despair,  as  it 
w^ould  obviously  render  it  impossible  for  you 
ever  to  obtain  the  divine  favour.  How  much 
reason  have  you  to  be  thankful  that  this  is  not 
the  case,  that  through  Jesus  Christ  the  door 
of  mercy  is  opened  to  the  vilest  and  most  un- 
w^orthy,  and  that  as  no  good  qualities  in  your- 
self or  your  services  could  have  given  you  a 
title  to  the  approbation  of  heaven's  Lawgiver 


92  ADORATION. 

SO  no  amount  of  demerit  can  exclude  you  from 
the  offer  of  salvation  made  in  the  gospel.  Come, 
then,  with  all  your  transgressions  on  your 
head  to  the  throne  of  grace;  make  known  to 
God  your  requests ;  tell  him  all  your  wants  so 
far  as  you  know  them ;  make  mention  of  your 
insensibility  to  divine  things,  your  unbelief, 
your  wanderings  of  heart,  your  want  of  holy 
desires  and  emotions ;  confess  to  him  the  in- 
sincerity and  hypocrisy  of  your  very  acts  of 
praise  and  adoration ;  and  entreat  that  he  would 
create  in  you  a  clean  heart,  and  renew  a  right 
spirit  within  you. 

A  little  reflection  will  suggest  to  an  honest 
inquirer,  various  exercises  that  may  be  had 
recourse  to  for  obtaining  that  frame  of  mind 
which  corresponds  with  the  language  of  ado- 
ration. In  this  as  in  other  particulars,  the 
necessity  of  the  Spirit's  influences  does  not 
supersede  the  use  of  means.  Besides  that  fer- 
vent prayer  for  the  Spirit  which  we  have  just 
recommended,  it  will  be  found  of  unspeakable 
advantage  to  cultivate  the  habit  of  meditating 
upon  the  glory  of  those  divine  perfections  to 
which  our  praises  are  so  justly  due.  Think 
of  Him  whom  you  address  as  the  only  living 
and  true  God.  Cherish  the  belief  not  only  of 
his  existence,  but  of  his  presence  with  you  in 
your  retirement.  Meditate  on  his  greatness, 
his  glory,  his  majesty,  his  infinite  and  match- 
less excellencies,  till  you  are  constrained  to 
say  with  Moses,  "  Who  is  a  god  like  unto 
thee,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises, 
doing  wonders  ?"  Exod.  xv.  11,  and  with  Da- 


ADORATION.  ^ 

vid,  "  Who  in  the  heaven  can  be  compared 
with  the  Lord  ?  who  among  the  sons  of  the 
mighty,  can  be  hkened  unto  the  Lord  ?  O 
Lord  God  of  Hosts,  who  is  a  strong  Lord  Uke 
luito  thee,  or  to  thy  faithfuhiess  round  about 
thee  ?"  Psahn  Ixxxix.  6,  8.  Reflect  on  the  in- 
significance of  every  thing  as  compared  with 
Jehovah,  that  "  all  nations  before  him  are  as  a 
drop  of  the  bucket,  or  the  small  dust  of  the 
balance,  and  he  taketh  up  the  isles  as  a  very 
little  thing :  they  are  as  nothing,  and  are  counted 
to  him  less  than  nothing  and  vanity,"  Isaiah  xl. 
15,  17.  Direct  your  thoughts  in  particular  to 
his  natural  and  moral  attributes,  and  cultivate 
familiarity  with  the  sublime  language  of  scrip- 
ture, in  which  these  attributes  are  revealed. 
If  you  find  that  there  is  much  in  the  adora- 
tions of  the  pious  with  which  you  are  not  yet 
qualified  to  join,  you  will  probably  also  dis- 
cover that  there  is  more  than  a  little  in  their 
sentiments  and  feelings  with  which  you  can 
unite,  and  that  many  of  their  expressions  you 
can  not  only  admire,  but  even  appropriate. 

This  will  at  first  be  chiefly  the  case  with 
respect  to  the  natural  perfections  of  God.  We 
say  not  that  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  can  be  acceptably  worshipped  by 
those  who  adore  merely  his  natural  attributes, 
but  these  attributes  as  well  as  the  others  are 
adored  by  acceptable  worshippers ;  and  we 
think  that  one  who  is  honestly  desirous  of  ac- 
quainting himself  with  God,  will  act  wisely  in 
endeavouring  to  ascertain  how  far  the  feelings 
of  his  heart  are  expressed  in  the  language  of 


94  ADORATION. 

the  inspired  writers.  For  this  end,  it  may  be 
profitable  to  begin  with  the  manner  in  which 
the  faithful  worshippers  of  Jehovah  have  been 
accustomed  to  speak  of  his  eternity,  his  im- 
mutability, his  omnipresence,  his  omniscience, 
his  almighty  power,  his  absolute  sovereignty, 
his  unsearchable  wisdom.  When  you  think 
of  his  eternity,  endeavour  to  enter  into  the 
feelings  of  David  when  he  says — "  Of  old  hast 
thou  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth,  and  the 
heavens  are  the  work  of  thy  hands :  they  shall 
perish,  but  thou  shalt  endure ;  yea,  all  of  them 
shall  wax  old  like  a  garment,  as  a  vesture 
shalt  thou  change  them,  and  they  shall  be 
changed  ;  but  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years 
shall  have  no  end,"  Psalm  cii.  25,  26,  27. 
When  you  consider  his  omnipresence,  try  if 
you  are  not  able  to  say  with  the  same  devout 
worshipper,  "  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy 
Spirit  ?  or  w^hither  shall  I  flee  from  thy  pre- 
sence? If  I  ascend  into  heaven,  thou  art 
there ;  if  I  make  my  bed  in  hell,  behold  thou 
art  there :  If  I  take  the  wings  of  the  morning, 
and  dwell  in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  sea ; 
even  there  shall  thy  hand  lead  me,  and  thy 
right  hand  shall  hold  me,"  Psalm  cxxxix.  7,  8, 
9,  10.  Does  his  omniscience  excite  your  ad- 
miration, or  inspire  you  with  awe?  If  so,  the 
very  psalm  from  which  we  have  just  quoted, 
expresses  your  emotions : — "  O  Lord,  thou 
hast  searched  me,  and  known  me.  Thou 
knowest  my  down-sitting  and  mine  up-rising: 
thou  understandest  my  thought  afar  off.  Thou 
compassest  my  path,  and  my  lying  down,  and 


ADORATION.  95 

art  acquainted  with  all  my  ways.     For  there 
is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue,  but,  lo,  O  Lord, 
thou  knowest  it  aUogether.     Such  knowledge 
is  too  wonderful  for  me ;  it  is  high,  I  cannot 
attain  unto  it,"  Psalm  cxxxix.  1,  2,  3,  4,  6. 
Reflect  upon  his  irresistible  power  until  you 
are  able  to  adore  him  as  the  "  Almighty  God." 
Ponder  the  unsearchable  wisdom  manifested 
in  his  plans  and  operations  till  you  are  ready 
to  exclaim  with  the  psalmist,  "  Great  is  our 
Lord,  and  of  great  power  ;  his  understanding 
is  infinite,"  Psalm  cxlvii.  5,  and  with  the  apos- 
tle, "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wis- 
dom and  knowledge  of  God!  how  unsearchable 
are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding 
out,"  Rom.  xi.   33.      Accustom   yourself  to 
meditate  upon   his  absolute  sovereignty  and 
universal  dominion  till  you  are  able,  not  only 
to  understand  and  see  the  beauty  of  such  lan- 
guage as  the  following,  but  also  to  adopt  it  as 
the  most  appropriate  expression  of  your  own 
feelings  : — "  Thou,  even  thou,  art  Lord  alone  ; 
thou  hast  made  heaven,  the  heaven  of  heavens, 
with  all  their  host,  the  earth,  and  all  things 
that  are  therein,  the  seas,  and  all  that  is  there- 
in, and  thou  preservest  them  all,"  Neh.  ix.  6. 
"  I  praised  and  honoured  Him  that  hveth  for 
ever  and  ever,  whose  dominion  is  an  everlast- 
ing dominion,  and  his  kingdom  is  from  gene- 
ration to  generation,"  Dan.  iv.  34. 

But  whilst  the  natural  attributes  of  God  are 
fitted  to  engage  your  thoughts  and  to  awaken 
your  adorations,  you  must  also  direct  attention 
to  his  moral  perfections,  his  holiness,  his  rec- 


96  ADORATION. 

titude,  his  faithfulness,  his  goodness,  his  love, 
his  compassion.  The  practice  of  secret  devo- 
tion to  which  we  suppose  you  to  be  now  giv- 
ing yourself,  will  soon,  if  persevered  in  with 
sincerity,  make  you  so  familiar  with  your 
own  weakness,  imperfection,  and  sin,  that  you 
will  find  it  refreshing  to  look  up  to  One  of 
spotless  purity  and  unblemished  excellence. 
Till  God  himself  becomes  the  portion  of  the 
soul,  there  remain  in  the  human  heart  desires 
that  are  never  gratified,  feelings  that  are  never 
developed,  a  void  that  is  never  filled,  a  rest- 
less longing  after  something  which  is  never 
found.  You  may  turn  to  the  character  of 
God  with  the  full  confidence  that  in  Him  these 
longing  desires,  and  ungratified  feelings,  and 
undeveloped  powers,  have  an  object  fully  ade- 
quate to  their  nature,  and  fitted  to  afford  them 
free  exercise,  and  most  entire  satisfaction. 
We  cannot  wait  to  give  even  a  specimen  of 
those  numerous  passages,  in  which  the  in- 
spired writers  speak  in  glowing  terms  of  the 
moral  attributes  of  Jehovah ;  but  a  little  well 
directed  industry  will  make  you  intimately 
familiar  with  them.  Those  attributes  are  re- 
vealed not  only  in  abstract  statement ;  they 
are  embodied  in  all  the  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel, they  are  illustrated  in  the  whole  of  God's 
dealings  with  his  church,  they  are  celebrated 
in  all  the  adorations  of  the  pious,  and  they  are 
glorified  in  all  that  is  made  known  to  us  of 
the  person,  offices,  and  work  of  the  Messiah. 
From  the  cross  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  you  may 
see  reflected  the  immaculate  purity  of  Divine 


ADORATION.  97 

holiness,  the  burning  brightness  of  eternal  jus- 
tice, the  unquenchable  warmth  of  Jehovah's 
love,  the  boundless  riches  of  his  grace,  the 
unsearchable  wisdom  of  his  counsels.  "  No 
man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time ;  the  only  be- 
gotten Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
he  hath  declared  him."  John  i.  18.  "  God 
who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God 
in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  2  Cor.  iv.  6. 

Adoration  is  a  part  of  prayer  in  which  it 
seems  especially  proper  to  employ  the  lan- 
guage of  scripture.  In  confessing  our  sins, 
expressing  gratitude  for  mercies  received,  and 
even  in  framing  our  petitions,  it  is  proper  that 
our  feelings  should  be  expressed  in  our  own 
words,  although  even  in  these  exercises  the 
words  of  the  inspired  writers  are  peculiarly 
suitable,  and  may  be  freely  employed.  But 
in  the  particular  exercise  of  which  we  have 
spoken  in  this  chapter,  no  language  of  ours 
can  adequately  express  the  sentiments  which 
we  ought  to  cherish.  Let  the  Bible,  therefore, 
which  is  your  guide  and  authority  in  all  your 
acts  of  worship,  be  your  constant  companion 
here.  A  very  slight  experience  in  these  mat- 
ters will  convince  you  how  poor  and  inade- 
quate are  any  expressions  you  could  yourself 
select.  It  is  in  the  word  of  God  alone  that 
his  character  and  perfections  are  spoken  of  in 
a  manner  worthy  of  such  a  lofty  theme.  And 
whilst  you  offer  your  adorations  in  the  very 

9 


98  ADORATION. 

terms  employed  by  the  patriarchs  and  pro- 
phets of  former  ages,  you  may  hope  to  be  a 
partaker  of  the  holy  fellowship  of  the  saints, 
whose  sentiments,  like  the  character  of  their 
common  Head,  are  "  the  same  yesterday,  to- 
day, and  for  ever." 


CHAPTER  V. 


CONFESSION. 


If  the  exercise  of  adoration  is  performed  with 
sincerity,  it  will  produce  that  frame  of  mind 
which  prompts  to  the  confession  of  sin.  The 
glory  of  the  Divine  perfections  can  never  be 
beheld  without  suggesting  our  own  guilt  and 
unworthiness.  It  was  in  consequence  of  the 
glorious  vision  beheld  by  Isaiah  when  he  saw 
the  Lord  sitting  upon  a  throne  high  and  lifted 
up,  and  encompassed  by  adoring  seraphim, 
that  he  was  led  to  exclaim,  "  Wo  is  me,  for  I 
am  undone ;  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean 
lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst  of  a  people  of 
unclean  lips;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the 
King,  the  Lord  of  hosts."  Isa.  vi.  5.  The 
patriarch  of  Uz,  upright  and  patient,  and  a 
genuine  fearer  of  God  though  he  was,  did  not, 
during  all  the  long -continued  controversy 
with  his  friends,  humble  himself  aright  in 
the  presence  of  his  Maker,  till  at  length  a 
discovery  of  those  perfections  which  demand 
adoration  filled  his  soul  with  the  deepest  sense 
of  his  own  unworthiness.  "  Behold  I  am  vile ; 
what  shall  I  answer  thee?  I  will  lay  my 
hand  upon  my  mouth."  "  I  have  heard  of 
thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear ;  but  now  mine 
eye  seeth  thee.  Wherefore  I  abhor  myself, 
and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes."  Job  xl.  4. — 

99 


100 


CONFESSION. 


xlii.  5,  6.  Tt  was  when  Peter  w^itnessed  a 
display  of  the  Divinity  of  his  Master,  that  we 
are  told  he  "  fell  down  at  Jesus'  knees,  saying, 
"Depart  from  me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O 
Lord."  Luke  v.  8. 

The  connection  established  by  God  between 
the  confession  of  sin  and  the  blessing  of  for- 
giveness, is  a  subject  which  would  admit  of  a 
more  full  illustration  than  we  can  at  present 
attempt  to  offer.  That  such  a  connection  ex- 
ists is  undoubted.  "  He  that  covereth  his  sins 
shall  not  prosper ;  but  whoso  confesseth  and 
forsaketh  them  shall  have  mercy."  Prov. 
xxviii.  13.  These  w^ords  of  the  wise  man 
agree  with  the  statement  of  the  apostle  John, 
"  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just 
to  forgive  us  our  sins."  1  John  i.  9.  And  both 
are  in  harmony  with  the  experience  of  David, 
"  I  acknowledged  my  sin  unto  thee,  and  mine 
iniquity  have  I  not  hid.  I  said,  I  will  confess 
my  transgressions  unto  the  Lord ;  and  thou 
forgavest  the  iniquity  of  my  sin."  Ps.  xxxii. 
5.  The  truth  conveyed  by  these  and  similar 
passages  of  the  word  of  God,  is  most  impor- 
tant and  precious,  and  will  be  so  regarded  in 
proportion  as  men  are  sensible  of  the  guilt  and 
miser}^  of  their  condition  as  sinners.  That 
the  just  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  whose  law 
we  have  broken,  and  whose  righteous  displea- 
sure we  have  incurred,  is  in  very  deed  offer- 
ing pardon  and  acceptance  to  all  who  will 
honestly  confess  and  forsake  their  oflcnces,  is  a 
truth  which  ought  not  to  be  heard  without  the 
deepest  emotion.     An  offer  so  good,  so  mar- 


CONFESSION.  101 

ciful,  so  divinely  gracious,  is  actually  made  to 
us  in  the  gospel :  God  sent  his  Son  into  the 
world  to  make  this  offer  with  his  own  lips,  and 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  its  being  published  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth.  Let  not  any  one  turn 
away  from  it  with  the  hypocritical  and  most 
ungrateful  excuse,  that  he  cannot  confess  of 
himself  O  sinner,  do  you  not  feel  that  this 
inability  to  confess  is  itself  most  blame- worthy, 
and  ought  to  cover  you  with  shame  ?  Neither 
is  it  necessary  that  we  should  qualify  our 
statements  regarding  the  free  offer  of  pardon 
to  all  who  confess,  by  reminding  our  readers 
that  our  confessions  and  endeavours  after 
amendment  have  no  intrinsic  merit  to  procure 
the  favour  of  God,  and  that  pardon  is  a  bless- 
ing communicated  to  sinners  only  through  the 
atonement.  That  a  blessing  so  infinitely  valu- 
able as  forgiveness  is  offered  to  sinners  in  the 
gospel,  because  it  has  been  purchased  at  a 
price  no  less  costly  than  the  blood  of  God's 
only  begotten  Son,  and  that  on  no  easier  terms 
could  it  have  been  provided,  consistently  with 
the  honour  of  Jehovah  as  supreme  Ruler — are 
matters  never  to  be  either  forgotten  or  over- 
looked. But  let  not  our  time  be  spent  in 
speculating  even  on  these  precious  truths, 
whilst  the  work  of  actual  confession  is  nearlect- 
ed  ;  far  less  let  it  be  thought  that  such  confes- 
sion of  sin  as  we  wish  to  inculcate  is  fitted  to 
encourage  a  legal  spirit.  No  man,  who  has 
incurred  a  debt,  has  any  right  to  expect  that 
his  creditor  will  allow  him  to  escape  on  the 
ground  of  simply   acknowledging   what   he 

9* 


108  CONFESSION. 

owes.  No  criminal  is  entitled  to  hope  that 
by  merely  confessing  the  crimes  for  which  he 
is  imprisoned,  he  will  be  permitted  to  regain 
his  liberty.  Should  a  debtor  or  a  criminal 
receive  the  offer  of  forgiveness  on  so  easy  a 
condition  as  that  of  acknowledging  the  debt 
or  the  crime,  it  would,  in  such  a  case,  be 
madness  to  suppose  there  was  any  merit  in 
the  acknowledgment  itself.  Assuredly,  the 
merit  of  the  whole  transaction  would  belong 
exclusively  to  the  party  granting  forgiveness, 
and  the  person  forgiven  must  feel  that  he  owes 
his  enlargement  entirely  to  free  favour.  In 
like  manner,  the  person  who  draws  near  to 
the  throne  of  grace,  and  w^ho  there  honestly 
and  humbly  confesses  his  sins,  and  in  so  doing 
obtains  forgiveness,  must  be  under  a  strange 
delusion  if  he  imagines  that  by  the  acknow- 
ledgment which  he  makes,  he  gives  to  his 
Maker  a  price  for  the  blessing  which  he  re- 
ceives. So  far  from  this,  it  may  be  safely  af- 
firmed, that  no  genuine  confession  was  ever 
yet  made  in  a  state  of  mind  which  could  ad- 
mit such  a  sentiment. 

Let  us  now  suppose  one  of  our  readers  truly 
concerned  about  his  spiritual  interests,  and 
desirous  to  obtain  salvation.  Let  us  suppose 
that  he  is  acquainted  in  a  general  way  with 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  but  that  he  has  not 
yet  found  peace  to  his  soul.  He  is  often  con- 
cerned deeply  about  his  eternal  welfare,  he 
has  no  confidence  in  the  Divine  mercy,  and 
no  inward  sense  of  security  from  the  wrath 
to  come.     He  feels  that  matters  are  not  with 


CONFESSION.  103 

him  as  they  ought  to  be;  he  resolves  to  do 
well,  but  his  resolutions  have  again  and  again 
been  broken.  He  goes  on  resolving,  and 
breaking  his  resolutions,  clinging  to  the  hope 
that  he  will  by  and  by  acquire  strength  of 
character  to  act  in  a  manner  more  consistent 
with  his  own  wishes.  Meanwhile  his  weak- 
ness and  irresolution  are  aggravated,  by  not 
knowing  exactly  what  to  do.  Our  remarks 
on  the  subject  of  confession,  may  be  conveni- 
ently presented  in  the  form  of  a  few  advices 
to  a  person  in  this  situation. 

To  such  a  one  we  would  say ; — "  Enter 
into  thy  chamber,"  and  having  fallen  on  your 
knees,  begin  to  make  confession  of  your  sins. 
In  the  presence  of  the  great  God  whose  glory 
should  fill  you  with  reverence,  whose  wrath 
you  have  reason  to  fear,  it  becomes  you  to 
acknowledge  those  sins  which  have  rendered 
you  odious  to  his  holiness,  and  obnoxious  to 
his  justice.  He  whom  you  ayjproach  is  one 
of  whom  it  has  been  said,  "  Behold  he  putteth 
no  trust  in  his  saints ;  yea,  the  heavens  are 
not  clean  in  his  sight;  how  much  more  abomi- 
nable and  filthy  is  man,  which  drinketh  iniquity 
like  water."  Job  xv.  15,  16.  To  this  in- 
finitely glorious  and  holy  Lord  God,  you  are 
permitted,  nay  invited  and  encouraged,  to 
draw  near.  Open  your  Bible,  and  in  the 
attitude  of  prayer,  read  over  and  over  such 
passages  as  the  following : — "  If  thou,  Lord, 
shouldest  mark  iniquities,  O  Lord,  who  shall 
stand  ?  But  there  is  forgiveness  with  thee 
that  thou  may  est  be  feared.     With  the  Lord 


104  CONFESSION. 

there  is  mercy,  and  with  him  is  plenteous  re- 
demption. And  he  shall  redeem  Israel  from 
all  his  iniquities."  Psalm  cxxx.  3,  4,  7,  S. 
"  Thus  saith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  in- 
habiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  holy,  I  dwell 
in  the  high  and  holy  place,  with  him  also  that 
is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to  revive 
the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the 
heart  of  the  contrite  ones."  Isaiah  Ivii.  15. 
Acknowledge  your  original  guilt,  and  your 
actual  transgressions ;  confess  that  you  are  by 
nature,  as  well  as  by  practice,  a  child  of 
wrath  even  as  others.  Bewail  the  blindness 
of  your  understanding  towards  spiritual  ob- 
jects, the  ungodliness  of  your  heart,  the 
stubbornness  of  your  will,  the  earthliness  of 
your  affections,  the  irregularity  of  your  de- 
sires, the  multitude  of  your  vain  and  idle 
thoughts,  and  the  strength  of  your  sinful 
passions.  Call  to  your  remembrance  the  in- 
stances in  which  you  have  indulged  the 
"^vorkings  of  pride,  anger,  covetousness,  impa- 
tience, uncharitableness,  or  sensual  desire, 
and  recount  them  in  the  presence  of  the 
Searcher  of  hearts.  Review  the  sins  of  your 
words  and  actions,  your  vain  and  unprofitable 
conversation,  your  neglect  of  duty,  and  the 
wasting  of  your  time  and  talents  in  the  service 
of  Satan.  Think  of  the  errors  of  your  youth, 
and  the  transgressions  of  your  riper  years ; 
how  much  of  the  best  of  your  life  has  been 
spent  without  any  proper  regard,  either  to 
your  own  true  interest,  or  to  the  authority 
and  glory  of  your  Creator.     Too  long  have 


CONFESSrON.  105 

you  sought  your  happiness  in  vain  and  sinful 
pleasure,  and  in  ignorance  or  neglect  of  the 
only  true  source  of  enjoyment.  What  fruit 
have  you  had  in  those  things  whereof  it  be- 
comes you  now  to  be  ashamed?  How  much 
happier  and  more  useful  might  you  have 
been,  these  many  years,  had  your  habits  been 
different  from  what  they  are  1  Have  you  not 
forsaken  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and 
hewed  out  unto  yourself  broken  cisterns  that 
can  hold  no  water? 

The  person  whom  we  suppose  ourselves  to 
be  now  addressing,  may  perhaps  reply  that 
his  life  has  been  comparatively  blameless, 
and  that  if  he  is  to  observe  the  sincerity  which 
forbids  the  expression  of  any  feelings  that  are 
not  really  entertained,  he  cannot  confess  guilt 
which  he  does  not  feel,  or  acknowledge  de- 
pravity of  which  he  is  not  conscious.  He 
will  perhaps  tell  us  that  he  is  not  aware  of 
any  such  blindness  of  mind,  hardness  of  heart, 
or  perversity  of  inclination,  as  we  have  now 
spoken  of,  and  he  cannot  consent  to  bewail 
evils  the  very  existence  of  which  seems  in 
some  degree  doubtful.  To  acknowledije  that 
his  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  des- 
perately wicked,  and  much  more  to  profess 
deep  sorrow  that  this  is  the  case,  is  consistent 
neither  with  his  convictions  nor  his  genuine 
feelings,  and  would  only  be  an  act  of  hypo- 
crisy. The  state  of  mind  which  would  suijgest 
such  an  objection  as  this,  is  one  which  in 
itself  we  are  far  from  condemning,  and  with 
which  we  are  anxious  to  deal  affectionately, 


106  CONFESSION. 

as  well  as  faithfully.  Assuredly  we  have  no 
wish  to  lead  any  one  to  utter  sentinaents 
which  he  does  not  entertain,  even  in  regard 
to  the  confession  of  sin.  Strange  as  it  may 
seem  that  a  creature  formed  for  the  glory  of 
God,  and  bound  to  make  this  the  object  of  his 
being,  and  of  all  his  actions,  placed  under  a 
law  which  requires  him  to  love  the  Lord  his 
God  with  all  his  heart,  and  his  neighbour  as 
himself,  strange  as  it  may  seem  that  a  crea- 
ture so  situated,  and  failing  so  entirely  as  all 
men  in  this  world  do,  to  fulfil  those  obliga- 
tions, should  have  any  difficulty  in  feeling  the 
litter  sinfulness  of  his  heart,  and  life ;  yet 
would  we  much  rather  deal  with  such  a  per- 
son, provided  he  is  determined  to  act  with 
perfect  sincerity,  than  with  one  who  would 
readily,  and  without  scruple,  utter  any  ac- 
knowledgnient  that  might  be  put  into  his  lips. 
Alas,  there  are  many  who  have  long  been 
accustomed  to  confess  sin  without  knowing 
what  true  penitence  means,  and  without  so 
much  as  asking  their  own  hearts  whether  or 
not  they  are  truly  penitent.  They  confess  in 
general  terms,  and  in  language  which  has 
become  so  familiar  to  the  ear  that  its  meaning 
has  ceased  to  be  attended  to,  that  they  "  have 
erred  and  gone  astray  like  lost  sheep,  that 
they  have  done  those  things  which  they 
ought  not  to  have  done,  that  there  is  no  sound- 
ness in  them,  and  that  they  are  miserable 
offenders ;"  but  no  true  sorrow  is  ever  awak- 
ened in  their  minds  on  account  of  the  sins 
which    they    have    themselves    committed. 


CONFESSION.  107 

When  we  call  upon  our  reader  to  enter  his 
chamber  and  confess  his  sins  before  God,  it  is 
not  in  the  spirit  of  such  worshippers  that  we 
wish  him  to  act.  Let  the  confession,  however 
limited  its  extent,  and  however  guarded  the 
language  in  which  it  is  expressed,  be  at  least 
made  in  sincerity.  Let  your  words,  however 
few,  be  at  least  a  faithful  representation  of 
what  you  really  believe,  and  what  you  truly 
feel. 

For  this  end  we  would  recommend  you  to 
begin,  by  confessing  one  sin  at  a  time.  The 
confession  we  speak  of,  is  confession  with  a 
view  both  to  forgiveness  and  amendment,  and 
must  therefore  be  engaged  in  with  full  purpose 
of  heart.  Summon  together  your  wandering 
thoughts ;  consider  carefully  what  you  do ; 
feel  that  you  are  in  the  presence  of  your  Ma- 
ker, your  Lawgiver,  your  Judge,  with  whom 
you  are  transacting  in  a  matter  which,  to 
yourself,  is  of  infinite  and  everlasting  import- 
ance. Think  of  some  one  sin  that  you  have 
committed.  The  candour,  which  makes  you 
refuse  to  confess  more  than  your  conscience 
acknowledges,  will  not  suffer  you  to  deny  that 
you  have  been  guilty  of  many  individual  of- 
fences. We  say  nothing,  for  the  present,  of 
the  sinfulness  of  your  heart,  or  the  ungodli- 
ness of  your  desires  and  affections.  We  wait 
not  to  debate  with  you  the  question,  as  to 
whether  or  no  you  are  by  nature  in  a  state 
of  spiritual  death,  and  liable  to  the  wrath  and 
curse  of  Jehovah.  And  even  in  regard  to  in- 
dividual oflfences  which  you  are  not  disposed 


108  CONFESSION. 

to  deny,  if  there  is  any  one  for  which  you 
honestly  think  an  apology  may  fairly  be  pled, 
any  one,  which,  as  it  appears  to  you,  is  either 
trifling  in  itself,  or  unattended  with  any  seri- 
ous consequences  either  to  yourself  or  to 
others ;  then  let  us  say  nothing  at  present  of 
such  an  offence.  But  does  not  your  consci- 
ence tell  you  that  you  have  been  guilty  of  sins 
for  which  no  excuse  can  be  admitted,  and  of 
which  the  utmost  stretch  of  candour  can  allow 
no  extenuation  ?  sins  by  which  you  have  in- 
jured yourself  both  temporally  and  spiritually, 
diminished  your  power  of  doing  good  to 
others,  and  righteously  offended  your  Crea- 
tor ?  Can  you  not  remember  having  com- 
mitted such  sins ;  or  are  you  indeed  able  to 
stand  up  in  the  presence  of  the  Omniscient, 
and  claim  from  eternal  justice  the  rewards  of 
spotless  innocence,  and  of  perfect  righteous- 
ness ?  You  will  not  pretend  that  this  is  the 
case.  You  will  not  plead  that  you  have  never 
done  any  thing  amiss;  that  you  have  always 
thought,  and  felt,  and  spoken,  and  acted,  ex- 
actly as  you  ought;  that  your  time  and  talents 
have  alw^ays  been  employed  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage; that  no  sinful  thought  has  ever 
dwelt  in  your  bosom,  that  no  forbidden  desire 
has  ever  been  cherished  ;  that  no  irregular 
affection  has  ever  been  indulged ;  that  no  idle 
word  has  ever  escaped  your  lips ;  that  no  un- 
holy action  has  ever  stained  your  conduct. 
You  will  not  assert  that  your  behaviour,  not 
only  in  the  transactions  of  business  and  trade, 
but  in  all  the  public  and  private  intercourses 


CONFESSION.  109 

of  life,  and  in  all  the  various  relationships 
which  you  fill,  at  all  times  and  in  all  places, 
has  been  perfectly  faultless.  Still  less  will 
you  profess  that  you  can  think  of  no  obliga- 
tion devolving  on  you  either  to  yourself,  or  to 
your  neighbour,  or  to  God,  which  you  have 
not  faithfully  and  faultlessly  discharged. 

You  can,  therefore,  have  no  difficulty  in 
fixing  upon  some  one  sin  that  you  have  com- 
mitted, or  some  one  duty  that  you  have  ne- 
glected. In  either  case  you  are  guilty  before 
God,  and  for  this  one  offence  you  are  liable 
to  his  righteous  displeasure.  It  is  a  trans- 
gression of  his  holy  law,  and  subjects  you  to 
the  penalty  which  his  law  has  threatened. 
But  with  reference  to  this  one  offence  He  is 
now  saying  to  you,  "  He  that  confesseth  and 
forsaketh  shall  have  mercy."  Avail  yourself 
of  the  gracious  offer.  Make  free  and  ample 
confession  of  your  fault,  and  let  its  aggrava- 
tions, one  after  another,  be  humbly  acknow- 
ledged. Entreat  that  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
may  pardon  your  sin,  and  give  you  grace  to 
refrain  from  it  in  time  to  come. 

The  course  we  have  now  recommended 
will  soon  appear  to  be  attended  w^ith  many 
advantages.  You  will  thus  find  the  contro- 
versy between  God  and  yourself  brought,  as 
it  were,  to  a  point,  where  you  will  have  an 
opportunity  of  observing  the  manner  in  which, 
on  both  sides,  it  is  conducted.  You  will  now 
understand  that  the  calls  and  expostulations 
of  the  gospel,  and  it  may  be  the  warnings  and 
rebukes  of  providence,  have,  with  reference 

10 


110  CONFESSION. 

to  yourself,  a  distinct  and  definite  meaning. 
You  will  begin  to  feel  what  God  means,  when 
he  commands  you  to  turn  and  live;  and  you 
will  be  enabled   to  see  where  your  own  sin 
oerity  is  likely  to  be  tried. 

Having  carefully  meditated  upon  one  sin, 
allowing  your  mind  to  dwell  on  all  the  cir- 
cumstances belonging  to  it,  its  enormity,  its 
causes,  its  consequences,  the  frequency  of  its 
commission,  its  power  over  your  habits,  its 
influence  in  leading  to  other  sins — having 
carefully  considered  these  and  other  circum- 
stances, and  made  ample  confession  accord- 
ingly, proceed  next  to  think  of  some  other  of- 
fence, and  pursue  the  same  course  with  refer- 
ence to  it.  This  you  can  have  no  difficulty 
in  doing,  for  if  even  one  sin  is  confessed  in 
the  manner  we  speak  of,  it  cannot  fail  to  sug- 
gest other  sins  of  equal  or  greater  heinous- 
ness.  Having  acknowledged  this  second 
transgression  with  its  various  aggravations, 
you  will  next  proceed  to  a  third,  and  from 
that  to  a  fourth,  till  you  gradually  discover 
that  your  sins  are  more  numerous  than  the 
hairs  of  your  head.  Thus  will  you  learn,  step 
by  step,  that  you  are  in  all  respects  as  guilty 
and  depraved,  and  that  your  heart  is  as  de- 
ceitful and  as  wicked,  as  the  scriptures  repre- 
sent. And  having  thus  learned  something  of 
your  true  character  in  the  sight  of  God,  oh, 
with  what  different  emotions  will  you  now 
acknowledge  yourself  a  "  miserable  sinner." 

To  confess  sin  in  such  a  manner  as  this,  is 
a  most  humbling  exercise,  and  one  that  im- 


CONFESSION.  Ill 

plies  no  small  degree  of  self-denial.  Nothing 
is  easier  than  to  make  a  general  acknowledg- 
ment of  sinfulness,  in  language  which,  as  it  is 
understood  to  be  applicable  to  all,  fails  to 
bring  home  a  consciousness  of  blame  to  the 
mind  of  any  individual.  But  to  feel  that  de- 
merit really  attaches  to  us,  that  we  are  verily 
guilty  and  justly  exposed  to  the  frown  of  Je- 
hovah, is  something  deeply  mortifying  to  the 
pride  of  the  human  heart.  So  much,  indeed, 
is  this  the  case,  that  without  the  special  aid 
of  the  Spirit,  no  one  will  heartily  engage  in 
such  a  task,  or  persevere  in  it  after  it  is  begun. 
And  one  important  part  of  the  duty  we  are 
now  recommending,  consists  in  fervent  prayer 
for  the  direction  and  illumination  of  that  bless- 
ed Agent. 

It  is  specially  to  be  noticed  that  no  confes- 
sion of  sin  can  be  considered  as  genuine,  ex- 
cept in  so  far  as  it  is  followed  by  amendment. 
It  is  to  him  who  confesseth  and  forsaketh,  that 
mercy  is  promised.  When  John  preached  the 
baptism  of  repentance  in  the  wilderness,  he 
called  upon  those  who  waited  on  his  ministry 
to  bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance ;  a 
command  which,  in  reply  to  the  inquiries  of 
several  classes  of  his  hearers,  he  explained  as 
requiring  the  publicans,  to  show  the  sincerity 
of  their  repentance  by  leaving  off  the  practice 
of  extortion,  the  soldiers,  to  cease  from  their 
habits  of  violence,  false  accusation  and  dis- 
contentment, and  the  uncharitable,  to  feed  the 
hungry  and  clothe  the  naked.  It  is  by  their 
fruits  we  must  judge  of  the  character  of  reli- 


112  CONFESSION. 

gious  emotions,  as  well  as  of  the  character  of 
professing  Christians.  No  sorrow  for  sin  how- 
ever deep,  no  regret  however  painful,  is  en- 
titled to  be  considered  as  of  the  nature  of  true 
penitence  unless  the  sinful  habit  is  abandoned. 
This  is  the  most  important,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  most  ditBcult  part  of  repentance.  We 
are  not  so  unwilling  to  attend  to  any  external 
duty  however  laborious,  as  to  relinquish  our 
favourite  sins.  Hence  the  frequency  with 
which  we  read  in  the  word  of  God  of  turning ; 
and  the  manifold  warnings  and  exhortations 
by  which  our  attention  is  called  to  it.  "  Let 
the  wicked  forsake  his  way  and  the  unrighteous 
man  his  thoughts :  and  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him ;  and 
to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon," 
Isaiah  Iv.  7.  "  Repent  and  turn  yourselves 
from  all  your  transgressions ;  so  iniquity  shall 
not  be  your  ruin,"  Ezek.  xviii.  30.  "  I  have 
no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dieth,  saith 
the  Lord  God :  therefore  turn  yourselves  and 
live  ye,"  Ezek.  xviii.  32.  So  soon  as  an  in- 
dividual has  become  aware  of  any  sinful  prin- 
ciple or  habit,  his  only  safety  consists  in  con- 
fessing it,  and  from  that  moment  is  he  bound 
to  forsake  it.  To  continue  in  the  commission 
of  any  sin,  after  it  has  been  confessed  and  pro- 
fessedly mourned  over  before  the  Searcher 
of  hearts,  is  frightful  and  heaven-daring 
hypocrisy. 

When  therefore  you  come  to  the  throne  of 
grace  for  the  purpose  of  making  confession 
of  whatever  you  have  discovered  amiss,  in 


CONFESSION.  113 

your  thoughts  or  feelings,  in  your  temper  or 
desires,  in  your  words  or  actions,  think  se- 
riously of  the  circumstances  in  which  you  are 
placed.  The  sin  which  you  have  discovered 
must  be  forgiven,  otherwise  it  will  sink  you 
to  the  lowest  hell.  It  marks  the  existence  of 
a  controversy  between  God  and  your  soul,  and 
this  controversy  shall  never  be  terminated  un- 
less the  ground  of  it  is  removed.  This  can 
only  be  done  by  the  removal  of  your  guilt 
through  the  pardoning  mercy  of  God,  and  the 
removal  of  your  sinful  habits  by  their  being 
forsaken  on  your  own  part.  Say  not,  you  are 
not  able  to  forsake  them,  it  is  the  work  of  the 
Spirit.  This  is  a  mistake.  It  is  not  the  Spirit 
that  forsakes  sin,  for  he  was  never  guilty  of  it. 
The  work  is  therefore  your  own.  Do  you  say 
that  the  Spirit  must  enable  you  to  do  it  ? 
True  ;  but  if  you  content  yourself  in  sinful  in- 
dulgence, and  allow  yourself  to  slumber  on  in 
careless  indifference,  trifling  with  temptation, 
and  allowing  your  habits  of  sloth  and  aversion 
to  spiritual  activity  to  gain  strength,  whilst 
you  pretend  to  wait  for  the  agency  of  the 
Spirit,  you  are  guilty  of  a  most  wicked  and 
dangerous  abuse  of  one  of  the  most  precious 
doctrines  of  the  gospel.  It  is  your  duty  to 
turn  from  sin,  from  all  sin,  especially  from 
your  favourite  sin,  be  it  pride,  or  covetous- 
ness,  or  ambition,  or  anger,  or  lust,  or  carnal 
security,  or  fretfulness,  or  uncharitableness,  or 
evil-speaking.  It  is  your  duty  to  turn  from 
sin,  because  you  are  plainly  commanded  to  do 
so ;  and  assuredly  there  is  neither  doctrine  nor 
10* 


114  CONFESSION. 

promise  in  the  Bible  that  was  ever  intended  to 
cancel  this  obligation.  The  promise  of  the 
Spirit  only  increases  it,  and  renders  more  ag- 
gravated and  dangerous  the  continuing  in  any 
forbidden  course  for  a  single  hour.  Let  this 
promise  be  pled  with  fervency  and  persever- 
ance, arising  from  a  deep  conviction  of  the 
indispensable  importance  of  that  work  for 
which  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  is  I'equired ; 
and  while  you  beg  his  assistance,  place  your- 
self in  that  attitude  of  resistance  to  sin  in  which 
you  may  expect  him  to  come  to  your  aid.  Say 
not  that  you  will  wait  God's  appointed  time, 
and  for  the  present  merely  resolve  to  give  at- 
tention to  the  means  of  grace  perhaps  some- 
what more  carefully  than  heretofore.  The 
means  of  grace,  private  and  public,  are  all  of 
them  invaluable,  and  assuredly  you  cannot 
afford  to  neglect  any  of  them ;  but  if  your 
resolution  to  observe  them  proceeds  from  a 
secret  wish  to  postpone  the  painful  hour  of 
separation  from  some  beloved  sin,  and  this 
may  be  its  origin,  even  although  you  think 
otherwise,  then  we  say,  such  resolution  is  in 
itself  dangerous.  It  is  now,  even  this  day, 
this  moment,  that  you  are  to  forsake  your  sin, 
and  begin  to  bring  forth  fruits  worthy  of  re- 
pentance. 

We  can,  however,  suppose  the  case  of  a 
person  confessing  his  sin  in  the  manner  above 
recommended,  and  so  far  as  he  knows  his  own 
heart,  with  the  honest  desire  to  avoid  it,  and 
with  the  prayer  to  be  preserved  from  it  in  time 
to  come;    and  yet,  notwithstanding,  falling 


CONFESSION.  115 

again  into  the  same  sin,  and  that  before  the 
very  first  temptation  that  presents  itself.  This 
is  a  situation  sufficiently  humbling,  and  implies 
conduct  highly  dishonouring  to  God,  and 
deeply  criminal  in  his  sight ;  but  it  is  not  our 
part  to  treat  the  person  who  occupies  it  with 
unkindness,  or  even  with  neglect.  Such  a 
person  may  be  ready  to  conclude  that  no  ad- 
vantage of  any  kind  has  resulted  from  his 
exercise  of  confession,  and  may  perhaps  feel 
so  much  discouraged  as  to  be  in  some  danger 
of  discontinuing  an  exercise  so  unprofitable. 
This  is  a  result  by  all  means  to  be  avoided, 
and  therefore  are  we  most  anxious  to  show, 
that  even  in  the  case  supposed,  the  confession 
of  sin  has  not  in  every  sense  been  in  vain. 
We  must  not  deny  that  a  highly-aggravated 
offence  has  been  committed,  in  repeating  sin 
for  which  sorrow  has  been  professed,  and  for- 
giveness supplicated;  yet  neither  must  we 
forget  that  a  very  important  and  instructive 
lesson  has  been  received.  The  person  has 
been  effectually  taught  his  own  weakness,  the 
feebleness  of  his  resolutions  as  a  protection 
from  temptation,  and  the  strength  of  sinful 
principles  in  his  heart.  When  he  next  ap- 
proaches the  throne  of  grace  he  will  have 
more  to  confess,  and  more  reason  for  deep 
and  bitter  humiliation  than  he  formerly  could 
have  supposed  himself  to  have.  He  will  now, 
with  greater  sincerity,  acknowledge  the  wick- 
edness of  his  heart,  and  implore  that  Divine 
grace,  by  which  alone,  as  he  has  now  learned 


116  CONFESSION. 

to  his  cost,  he  can  be  enabled  effectually  to 
resist  temptation. 

One  good  effect  of  the  confession  of  sin, 
wherever  it  is  performed  with  any  degree  of 
sincerity,  is  the  increased  attention  which  it 
directs  to  sin  in  the  heart  and  life  for  the  time 
to  come.  Men  often  commit  sin  so  thought- 
lessly, that  it  is  neither  observed  by  them  at 
the  time,  nor  remembered  afterwards.  Thus 
many  persons  live  in  the  daily  practice  of  sins, 
of  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  persuade 
them  that  they  are  more  than  very  rarely 
guilty.  But  when  a  man  begins  in  earnest  to 
confess  his  sins,  when  he  begins  to  confess 
them  one  by  one  in  the  presence  of  the 
Searcher  of  hearts,  his  observation  on  the 
subject  is  greatly  quickened.  His  attention 
being  thus  earnestly  directed  to  some  of  his 
own  prevailing  transgressions,  he  cannot  so 
easily  repeat  them  afterwards  without  at  least 
observing  and  remembering  what  he  does. 
This  increased  attention  to  the  sins  which  he 
is  himself  prone  to  commit,  is  a  most  import- 
ant means  of  leadinsj  an  individual  to  a  true 
acquaintance  with  his  own  character,  and  to 
a  knowledge  of  the  wickedness  of  his  heart. 
It  will  also  make  him  aware  of  the  tempta- 
tions by  which  he  is  most  liable  to  be  led 
astray,  and  of  the  circumstances  in  which 
these  temptations  hav^e  most  power  over  him. 
It  will  make  him  acquainted  with  the  power 
of  his  sinful  habits,  and  it  will  gradually  dis- 
close to  him  the  depravity  of  his  whole  nature. 
The  same  person  who  at  first,  in  proposing  to 


CONFESSION.  117 

confess  his  sins,  felt  as  if  he  had  scarcely  any 
thing  to  confess,  will  soon  be  prepared,  if  he 
is  enabled  to  persevere  with  that  candour  and 
sincerity  of  which  we  have  spoken,  to  say 
with  David,  "  For  thy  name's  sake,  O  Lord, 
pardon  mine  iniquity,  for  it  is  great."  Psalm 
XXV.  11.  And  tracing  all  his  transgressions 
to  their  proper  source,  he  will  be  constrained 
to  add  with  the  same  inspired  writer,  "  Be- 
hold, I  was  shapen  in  iniquity  ;  and  in  sin  did 
my  mother  conceive  me."     Psalm  li.  5. 

And  here  let  us  endeavour  to  impress  the 
serious  reader  with  the  importance  of  search- 
ing out  his  besetting  sin.  Every  individual 
is,  by  natural  temperament  or  by  habit,  more 
prone  to  some  sins  than  to  others ;  and  pro- 
bably in  every  case,  there  is  some  one  sin  that 
has  greater  power  over  the  individual  than 
any  other.  Strange  though  it  may  seem,  the 
greater  number  of  men  are  not  themselves 
aware  of  the  sins  to  which  thev  are  most 
prone.  This  may  arise  from  that  insensibility 
to  the  evil  of  a  favourite  sin,  which  is  the 
effect  of  constant  familiarity  with  it,  and  from 
a  strong,  though  unconscious  desire  to  excuse 
it.  So  blind  are  we  all  naturally  to  our  faults, 
that  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  us  to  be 
fully  aware  of  the  prevailing  errors  of  those 
around  us,  whilst  we  are  profoundly  ignorant 
of  our  own.  Seek  then,  we  would  say,  an 
acquaintance  with  your  besetting  sins.  Make 
it  your  business  to  find  out  w^hat  they  are. 
For  this  end,  compare  the  habitual  state  of 
your   heart   and   life   with   God's  holy  law 


118  CONFESSION. 

Look  to  your  conduct  in  public  and  in  private, 
and  in  all  the  various  relations  of  life.  Mark 
those  particulars  in  which  you  find  yourself 
going  astray  in  the  daily  course  of  your 
thoughts,  words,  and  actions.  By  persevering 
in  this  exercise,  with  earnest  prayer  for  the 
illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  you  will  not 
long  remain  wholly  ignorant  of  your  imper- 
fections, your  weaknesses,  your  frailties  of 
temper,  and  your  prevailing  faults  in  conver- 
sation and  conduct.  Inquire  what  sin  it  is 
that  corresponds  most  with  your  natural  dis- 
position, or  that  you  are  most  easily  led  into 
by  your  companions  or  pursuits.  Ask  your- 
self what  is  the  sin  that  you  are  most  loath  to 
part  with,  and  which  you  are  most  anxious  to 
paUiate,  and  least  willing  to  hear  condemned. 
Examine  what  is  the  temptation  which  you 
find  it  most  difficult  to  avoid,  and  which  not- 
withstanding your  secret  conviction  of  its 
danger,  and  some  feeble  wish  to  overcome  it, 
still  continues  to  control  your  conduct.  And 
having  discovered  this  evil,  make  free  and 
full  confession  of  it  to  God.  The  discovery 
itself  is  of  great  importance,  as  it  discloses  to 
you  the  chief  hindrance  in  the  way  of  your 
salvation.  This  besetting  sin,  if  not  repented 
of  and  forgiven,  will  prove  your  everlasting 
ruin.  It  has  already  deeply  injured  you.  It 
has  prevented  your  return  to  God,  and  has 
been  operating,  it  may  be  for  many  years,  in 
blinding  your  mind,  hardening  your  heart, 
and  rendering  you  insensible  to  the  claims  of 
the  Divine  character,  and  to  your  own  eternal 


I 


CONFESSION.  119 

welfare.  There  is  a  controversy  between 
God  and  yourself  in  regard  to  this  very  sin. 
God  commands  you  to  confess  and  forsake  it; 
and  you,  on  the  other  hand,  wish  God  to  save 
you  from  hell,  and  yet  to  allow  you  to  con- 
tinue your  favourite  though  forbidden  indul- 
gence. In  this  controversy,  do  you  expect 
that  God  will  yield  to  you  1  Never.  '"  I  am 
the  Lord,  I  change  not."  You  must  yield, 
or  the  controversy  will  continue  undetermined 
for  ever.  And  if  you  yield  in  this  one  point, 
if  you  really  and  truly  give  up  this  one  sin, 
if  you  with  an  honest  heart  confess  and  for- 
sake it,  there  is  the  greatest  probability  that 
you  will  also  be  enabled  to  forsake  your  other 
sins  as  they  become  known  to  you,  and  that 
in  forsaking  them  you  will  find  mercy. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  aggravations  of  sin 
as  necessary  to  be  taken  notice  of  in  making 
confession  ;  perhaps  this  is  a  point  which  re- 
quires a  little  further  attention.  By  the  ag- 
gravations of  sin  are  meant,  those  accom- 
panying circumstances  by  which  its  criminal- 
ity is  increased,  and  on  account  of  which  it 
ought  the  more  deeply  to  be  bewailed.  There 
are  certain  a2^2;ravations  which  attach  to  all 
sin,  and  which  must  not  be  overlooked.  It  is 
opposed  to  the  character  and  perfections  of 
God»  and  implies  rebellion  against  his  author- 
ity, defiance  of  his  power,  and  contempt  of 
his  goodness  and  mercy.  It  is  the  violation 
of  a  law  which  is  at  once  holy,  just,  and  good; 
and  so  deeply  impressed  was  the  mind  of  the 


120  CONFESSION. 

apostle  with  its  odiousness  in  this  view,  that 
he  speaks  of  sin,  by  the  commandment,  becom- 
ing exceeding  sinful.  The  injury  which  the 
sinner  inflicts  upon  himself,  the  utter  unprofit- 
ableness in  every  sense,  and  even  in  regard  to 
the  interests  of  the  present  life,  of  the  course 
which  he  has  pursued,  the  loss  of  time,  the 
abuse  of  talents,  the  wasting  of  opportunities 
of  improvement,  opportunities  which  once  lost 
can  never  be  recovered,  furnish  abundant 
grounds  of  deepest  humiliation.  The  deceit- 
ful nature  of  sin,  insinuating  itself  into  the  heart 
without  observation,  gradually  and  insensibly 
acquiring  power  over  the  habits,  concealing 
the  terrible  and  destructive  consequences  to 
which  it  exposes,  and  presenting  the  charac- 
ter of  God  and  the  situation  of  the  sinner 
through  a  false  medium,  must  be  carefully 
considered.  But  above  all,  the  wrath  and 
curse  of  the  Almighty,  and  the  everlasting 
perdition  of  soul  and  body,  are  realities  of 
such  overwhelming  magnitude,  that  to  over- 
look them  were  madness. 

But  in  confessing  your  own  individual  of- 
fences, there  are  aggravations  of  a  more  pri- 
vate and  personal  nature,  which  you  must  ac- 
knowledge. Perhaps  you  have  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  religious  education,  and  have 
been  brought  up  in  the  bosom  of  the  visible 
church.  If  so,  your  guilt  is  that  of  the  servant 
who  knew  his  Master's  will,  but  did  it  not. 
You  have  professed  to  know  God,  but  in  works 
you  have  denied  him ;  you  have  named  the 


CONFESSION.  121 

name  of  Christ,  and  yet  have  not  departed 
from  iniquity.  Perhaps  you  have  been  fre- 
quently warned  by  the  word  of  God,  by  the 
dispensations  of  Providence,  and  by  the  re- 
bukes of  your  own  conscience,  and  have  thus 
subjected  yourself  to  that  dreadful  threatening, 
"  He  that  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth  his 
neck,  shall  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that 
without  remedy."  Prov.  xxix.  1.  Perhaps  the 
hand  of  affliction  has  been  laid  upon  you,  and 
in  your  trouble  you  have  sought  the  Lord,  and 
made  solemn  vows  and  promises  of  amend- 
ment, yet  have  afterwards  returned  to  your 
former  courses.  Perhaps  your  sins  have  en- 
couraged others,  your  friends,  your  neigh- 
bours, your  companions,  in  habits  of  ungodli- 
ness ;  and  may  thus,  even  when  you  were  not 
yourself  aware  of  it,  have  contributed  to  spread 
around  you  ruinous  consequences,  which  it  is 
not  now  in  your  power  to  counteract.  It  is 
p,t  least  certain,  that  your  sins  are  aggravated 
by  many  mercies  received  from  that  God 
against  whom  you  have  transgressed.  Let 
the  aggravations,  of  whatever  kind,  with 
which  your  sins  are  attended,  be  frequently 
reviewed  and  regularly  confessed.  Like  your 
sins  themselves,  they  will  appear  more  numer- 
ous, the  more  carefully  they  are  considered. 
And  oh,  be  thankful  that  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  God's  Son,  is  sufficient  to  wash  away 
all  your  sins,  how  heinous  or  aggravated  so- 
ever ;  and  that  God  is  even  now  making  offer 
to  you  of  a  full  and  free  forgiveness.     Does  it 

11 


122  CONFESSION. 

not  become  you  to  say  with  the  prodigal,  "  I 
will  arise,  and  go  to  my  Father,  and  will  say 
unto  him.  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  hea- 
/en,  and  before  thee,  and  am  no  more  worthy 
to  be  called  thy  son :  make  me  as  one  of  thy 
hired  servants."  Luke  xv.  18.  19. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


PETITION. 


It  is  a  wonderful  thought  that  the  hisjh  and 
lofty  One,  who  inhabits  eternity,  should  be 
accessible  to  creatures  like  ourselves,  and  that 
an  actual  interchange  of  sentiment  and  feeling 
should  exist  between  heaven  and  earth.  Yet 
is  this  truth  not  only  clearly  revealed ;  it  is 
implied  and  taken  for  granted  in  all  that  is 
made  known  in  scripture  of  the  Divine  char- 
acter and  works.  The  great  and  invisible 
Jehovah  does  really  hold  intercourse  with 
man.  Though  infinitely  removed  from  hu- 
man eyes,  he  may  be  spoken  to  by  human 
lips,  and  he  will  actually  grant  any  reasonable 
petition  that  we  may  offer.  This  is  a  truth  in 
itself  so  wonderful  as  to  demand  universal  at- 
tention, and  so  precious  that  it  is  astonishing 
it  is  not  universally  taken  advantage  of.  Must 
not  man  be  indeed  infatuated,  w^hen  he  ne- 
glects the  means  with  which  he  is  thus  pro- 
vided, of  benefitting  himself  and  others  to  an 
extent  absolutely  beyond  calculation  ? 

Petition  is  a  part  of  prayer  so  well  known, 
that  scarcely  any  thing  needs  to  be  said  for 
the  mere  purpose  of  explaining  it.  It  is  that 
part  of  devotion  which  is  more  immediately 
suggested  by  the  name  of  prayer.  In  it  we  do 
not  direct  attention  chiefly  as  in  adoration,  to 

123 


124  PETITION. 

the  Divine  perfections,  nor  as  in  confession, 
chiefly  to  our  several  sins  with  their  aggrava- 
tions. The  part  of  prayer  of  which  we  now 
speak  has  direct  reference  to  our  condition  as 
needy,  and  directs  our  thoughts,  on  the  one 
hand,  to  our  own  wants,  and,  on  the  other,  to 
the  power  and  wilhngness  of  God  to  supply 
those  wants.  The  proper  business  of  petition 
is  to  ask,  and  to  this  exercise  we  are  encour- 
aged by  the  injunction,  "  Ask  and  it  shall  be 
given  to  you." 

The  exercises  of  which  we  have  spoken  in 
the  last  two  chapters,  suggest,  as  has  already 
been  hinted,  various  matters  of  petition.     If, 
in  presenting  to  God  that  adoration  which  his 
perfections   should  call   forth,   you   feel   that 
your  heart  is  not  impressed  as  it  ought  to  be 
with  those  emotions  which  it  becomes  you  to 
cherish,  you   are  permitted  to  ask  that  your 
aftections  may  be  quickened.     And  if  in  con- 
fessing your  sins,  you  are  conscious  of  not  en- 
tertaining such  a  deep  regret,  nor  such  a  vivid 
sense  of  the  demerit  of  your  ofiences  as  you 
are  aware  the  occasion  most  rightfully  de- 
mands, you   are  encouraged   to  pray  for  re- 
pentance.    In  addition  to  this,  the  very  exer- 
cise of  confessing   implies   an  earnest  desire 
of  forgiveness,  and  cannot  be  performed  with 
sincerity    unless    accompanied    with    fervent 
supplications  for  pardon.     Indeed,  although  it 
is  profitable  to  consider  the  different  parts  of 
prayer  in  succession,  they  are  all  inseparably 
connected  with  each  other ;  for  the  exercise 
of  petitioning  will,  on  the  other  hand,  suggest 


PETITION.  125 

reasons  for  addressing  the  great  Object  of 
worship  in  the  language  both  of  adoration  and 
penitence.  In  confession  you  open  the  wounds 
of  sin  and  examine  their  extent  and  number ; 
in  petition  you  apply  for  a  remedy ;  and  as 
the  more  deadly  and  dangerous  you  discover 
the  wounds,  the  more  earnestly  will  you  de- 
sire a  cure,  so  in  proportion  as  you  seek  after 
and  become  really  acquainted  with  that  only 
remedy  which  the  gospel  reveals,  will  your 
conviction  be  increased  of  the  greatness  of 
the  danger  from  which  you  seek  deliverance. 
It  is  plainly  impossible  to  over-estimate  the 
importance  of  having  the  heart  deeply  affected 
with  our  need  of  those  mercies  for  which  we 
pray.  And  it  is  matter  of  thankfulness  that, 
as  our  wants  are  infinitely  better  known  to  our 
heavenly  Father  than  to  ourselves,  we  are  en- 
couraged to  pray  that  he  would  so  far  acquaint 
us  with  our  true  situation,  as  to  awaken  within 
us  sincere  desires  for  what  we  really  require. 
Yet  it  seems  strange,  and  is  itself  an  evidence 
of  the  utter  depravity  of  human  nature,  that 
men,  situated  as  they  are,  should  not  of  them- 
selves be  aware  of  their  spiritual  wants.  But, 
alas,  they  are  prone  to  regard  themselves  as 
"  rich  and  increased  in  goods,  and  in  need  of 
nothing,"  w^hilst  they  are  in  truth  "  poor  and 
wretched,  miserable,  blind  and  naked."  80 
soon,  however,  as  any  one  has  been  fully 
awakened  to  the  realities  described  in  the 
scriptures,  and  has  been  made  to  feel  himself 
a  guilty  transgressor  in  the  hands  of  eternal 
justice,  and  liable  in  consequence  to  punish- 
11* 


126  PETITION. 

ment  throughout  the  whole  of  his  future  being, 
he  ceases  to  be  insensible  to  his  actual  condi- 
tion. The  thought  of  being  exposed  to  the 
wrath  of  God  here  and  hereafter,  cannot  be 
seriously  entertained  without  prompting  to  the 
prayer  of  the  publican,  "  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner,"  Luke  xviii.  13.  The  value  of 
the  throne  of  grace  will  be  felt  when  the  con- 
science is  really  touched,  from  what  point 
soever  the  truth  may  come  by  which  it  is  af- 
fected. If  the  authority  of  God  as  our  rightful 
lawgiver  is  truly  felt,  if  his  goodness  as  our 
unwearied  Benefactor  notwithstanding  our 
continued  ingratitude  and  rebellion  is  truly 
acknowledged,  if  a  man's  own  real  interest  as 
the  undoubted  possessor  of  an  existence  that 
shall  never  end,  is  seriously  considered  ;  if  eter- 
nity— an  eternity  of  inconceivable  blessedness 
or  of  unutterable  wo — an  eternity  into  w^hich 
he  knows  not  how  soon  he  may  be  plunged, 
is  indeed  realized  as  his  undoubted  portion  ; — 
who  is  there  that  can  regard  wath  indifference 
the  assurance  that  God  hears  and  answers  the 
prayers  of  sinners  ? 

On  the  subject  of  offering  petitions,  there 
are  two  points  which  may  deserve  to  be  con- 
sidered. What  are  the  blessings  which  it  be- 
comes us  to  ask  1  and  in  what  manner  ought 
our  desires  to  be  presented  ? 

In  regard  to  the  former  of  these,  we  may 
begin  by  remarking  that  as  there  are  many 
who  confess  in  general  terms  they  are  sinners, 
without  ever  acknowledging  any  one  sin  they 
have  actually  committed ;  so  it  is  to  be  feared, 


1 


PETITION.  127 

there  are  many  who  use  the  language  of  peti- 
tion without  thinking  what  they  ask,  and  with- 
out so  much  as  knowing  what  they  rea!]y 
require.  They  daily  say  their  prayers,  and 
no  doubt  consider  themselves  truly  devout,  but 
were  they  required  to  state  in  few  words  what 
are  the  good  things  they  are  daily  praying  for, 
and  what  is  the  blessing  they  are  most  anxious 
to  receive,  they  would  be  at  a  loss  to  give  any 
intelligent  answer.  One  of  the  greatest  favours 
that  can  be  bestowed  upon  such  persons,  is  to 
convince  them  (if  that  were  possible)  that  they 
have  probably  never  yet  offered  a  real  prayer 
in  their  lives. 

The  man  who  confesses  sin  without  think- 
ing of  any  particular  offence,  is  not  farther 
from  the  character  of  a  true  penitent,  than  the 
person  who  offers  the  language  of  petition 
without  desiring  any  particular  blessing,  is 
distant  from  the  exercises  of  a  true  suppliant. 
Any  one  who  presents  a  petilion  to  his  fellow- 
creature,  whether  that  fellow-creature  be  his 
ruler,  his  parent,  his  master,  or  simply  his 
neighbour,  must  have  a  distinct  notion  of  the 
favour  which  he  requests.  If  he  is  ignorant 
of,  or  inattentive  to,  what  his  own  petition 
contains,  he  must  wish  to  insult  the  party  to 
whom  his  application  is  made,  unless  he  is 
either  insane,  or  is,  for  some  unaccountable 
reason,  acting  the  part  of  a  designing  hypo- 
crite. His  conduct,  however  it  may  be  ex- 
plained, is  neither  ingenuous  nor  manly ;  and 
if  the  person  is  in  his  senses,  and  his  motives 
understood  by  the  party  addressed,  it  cannot 


128  PETITION. 

fail  to  be  in  the  highest  degree  offensive.  And 
is  conduct  which  would  not  be  tolerated  be- 
tween man  and  man,  justifiable  in  the  deahngs 
of  man  with  God  ?  No.  Let  the  person  who 
has  been  accustomed  to  present  such  petitions 
to  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  leave  off  at  once  and 
for  ever  a  practice  so  wicked.  Let  him  hold 
his  peace  in  the  presence  of  the  Eternal,  rather 
than  be  guilty  of  such  hypocrisy  and  profane- 
ness.  Let  him  pause  to  think  of  some  one 
thing  which  he  needs,  and  then  let  him  make 
that  the  subject  of  humble  and  believing  peti- 
tion. If  he  can  think  of  no  one  thing  that  he  be- 
lieves himself  really  to  need,  let  him  reverently 
ask  that  God  would  reveal  to  him  his  destitu- 
tion ;  a  petition  which,  if  presented  in  sincerity, 
will  not  be  despised  by  the  Hearer  of  prayer. 
Perhaps  some  one  may  consider  it  an  ob- 
jection to  what  we  have  now  stated,  that  God 
knows  our  wants  infinitely  better  than  we  do 
ourselves ;  and  may  remind  us  of  the  words 
of  our  Lord,  "  Your  Father  knoweth  what 
things  ye  have  need  of  before  ye  ask  him." 
Matt.  vi.  8.  Does  not  this  declaration,  it  may 
be  argued,  supersede  the  necessity  of  any 
minute  acquaintance  on  our  part  with  the 
particular  blessings  we  may  require?  and 
does  it  not  teach  us  that  we  do  our  duty  if,  in 
general  terms,  we  supplicate  the  divine  favour, 
and  ask  God  to  give  us  whatever  he  knows 
to  be  for  our  good?  Was  not  the  publican 
accepted  when,  without  condescending  on 
any  particular  blessing,  he  merely  used  the 
words,  "  God,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  ?' 


PETITION. 


129 


That  our  heavenly  Father  knows  what  we 
have  need  of  before  we  ask  him,  is,  as  has 
already  been  hinted,  a  most  precious  and  en- 
couraging truth ;  and  for  the  privilege  of 
entreating  that  he,  who  alone  perfectly  knows 
our  circumstances,  would  consult  his  own 
mfinite  wisdom  in  bestowing  what  is  really 
for  our  good,  although  it  should  even  be  con- 
trary to  our  desires,  it  is  impossible  to  be 
sufficiently  thankful.  But  to  infer  that  this 
privilege  justifies  any  one  either  in  remaining 
ignorant  of  his  wants,  or  in  regarding  them 
with  indifference,  would  be  a  most  mischiev- 
ous and  fatal  error.  The  prayer  of  the  pub- 
lican, although  it  specifies  no  particular 
blessing,  indicates  a  state  of  mind  the  farthest 
possible  from  that  of  a  person  who  is  either 
ignorant  of,  or  indifferent  to,  his  true  situation. 
He  cries  for  mercy  to  himself  as  a  sinner, 
thereby  showing  that  he  is  aware  at  once  of 
his  sinfulness,  of  the  misery  to  which  his  sins 
expose  him,  of  his  total  inability  to  deliver 
himself  from  this  situation,  and  of  his  want 
of  all  title  to  present  any  claim  to  the  favour- 
able regard  of  Jehovah,  except  that  which  is 
afforded  by  the  revelation  of  divine  mercy. 

The  utmost  knowledge  that  we  can  acquire 
of  our  wants  must  also  be  exceedingly  imper- 
fect, nay,  sometimes  it  may  be  positively 
incorrect.  Our  greatest  deficiencies  may  be 
comparatively  unknown  to  us,  and  some  things 
of  which  we  suppose  ourselves  to  stand  in 
need,  may  be  hurtful  rather  than  advantageous, 
and,  therefore,  kindly   withheld.     How  pre- 


130  PETITION. 

cious,  then,  the  assurance,  that  our  Father, 
who  is  perfectly  able  to  give  wnaiever  is 
needful,  is  also  perfectly  acquainted  with 
what  it  is  proper  to  grant,  and  when  and  how 
to  bestow  it ;  and  that  no  good  thing  will  be 
withheld  fronn  those  who  call  upon  him  in 
truth  !  But,  at  the  same  time,  without  some 
distinct  notion  of  the  particular  blessings 
which  we  really  require,  we  cannot  pray  for 
any  thing  with  sincerity.  Our  prayers  must 
not  only  be  without  adaptation  to  oul*  partic- 
ular circumstances,  but  also  destitute  of  life 
and  earnestness.  How  can  a  man  ask  any 
thing  with  true  and  honest  desire,  if  he  knows 
not  what  he  asks  ?  The  prayers  of  the  godly 
recorded  in  the  book  of  Psalms  and  through- 
out the  scriptures,  abound  with  petitions  for 
particularly  specified  blessings.  That  ad- 
mirable form  of  prayer  which  our  Lord  taught 
his  disciples,  and  which  every  one  regards  as 
an  infallible  directory,  contains  six  several 
petitions.  The  promises  of  the  divine  word, 
which  are  at  once  our  warrant,  encourage- 
ment, and  guide,  are  not  more  remarkable  for 
their  general  richness  and  beauty,  than  for  the 
endless  diversity  of  forms  in  which  they  ex- 
hibit the  varied  and  manifold  favours  which 
divine  goodness  and  mercy  hold  out  to  our 
acceptance. 

For  what,  then,  are  we  to  pray?  For 
whatever  God  has  promised, — for  whatever 
our  Lord  has  taught  us  to  pray.  And  here 
we  must  remark  that,  if  we  are  to  take  for 
our  model  the  prayer  which  Christ  taught  his 


PETITION.  131 

disciples,  the  first  desire  we  present  must  be 
for  the  promotion  of  the  divine  glory.  As  the 
glory  of  God  is  the  great  end  of  all  his  works, 
so  ought  it  to  have  the  first  place  in  our  de- 
sires, and  in  all  our  petitions.  Our  Lord, 
who  gave  us  so  valuable  an  example  as  to  the 
duty  of  prayer  generally,  has  most  emphatic- 
ally shown  the  place  which  this  object  ought 
to  have  in  our  requests.  His  well-known  in- 
tercessory prayer  begins  with  the  words, 
*'  Father,  glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son  also 
may  glorify  thee;"  John  xvii.  1.  and  in  the 
course  of  the  same  wonderful  address,  he 
declares  this  to  have  been  the  end  of  all  his 
labours  and  sufferings ;  "  I  have  glorified  thee 
on  the  earth,  I  have  finished  the  work  which 
thou  gavest  me  to  do."  John  xvii.  4.  It  is 
in  perfect  harmony  with  his  own  conduct, 
therefore,  that  he  teaches  us  to  express  our 
first  petition  in  the  words,  "  Hallowed  be  thy 
name."  Indeed  it  is  remarkable  that,  of  the 
six  petitions  which  he  enumerates,  it  is  only  in 
the  three  latter  that  any  mention  is  made  of 
our  own  wants,  whether  temporal  or  spiritual. 
If  our  hearts  were  in  harmony  with  the  spirit 
of  the  Lord's  prayer,  our  first  desire  would 
be  for  the  promotion  of  the  glory  of  God,  our 
second,  for  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom, 
our  third,  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  will; 
and  all  this  before  we  should  present  a  single 
petition  in  reference  to  ourselves. 

But  as  we  have  at  present  in  view  the  case 
of  those  who  are  seeking  after  an  acquaint- 
ance with  God,  rather  than  that  of  experienced 


132  PETITION. 

Christians,  we  must  proceed  to  mention  some 
of  those  particular  blessings  of  which  such 
persons  stand  immediately  in  need.  And 
here  let  us,  in  the  first  place,  direct  attention 
to  the  pardon  of  sin,  as  a  blessing  which 
ought  to  form  the  subject  of  special  request. 
This  blessing,  of  which  every  penitent  sinner 
must  so  deeply  feel  the  value,  is  promised 
again  and  again  in  the  most  gracious,  conde- 
scending, and  encouraging  manner.  In  pray- 
ing for  it,  we  are  taught  to  appeal  to  the 
infinite  goodness  of  Jehovah's  nature,  of  which 
the  communication  of  so  great  a  favour  is  a 
signal  instance.  Says  David  : — ''  For  thou, 
Lord,  art  good  and  ready  to  forgive,  and 
plenteous  in  mercy,  unto  all  them  that  call 
upon  thee."  Psalms  Ixxxvi.  5.  The  same 
powerful  argument  is  employed  by  Nehemiah: 
"  Thou  art  a  God  ready  to  pardon,  gracious 
and  merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and  of  great 
kindness."  Neh.  ix.  17.  The  Great  Supreme 
himself  declares  that  he  has  especial  delight 
in  bestowing  this  blessing,  as  something  by 
which  his  glory  as  the  true  God  is  eminently 
exhibited,  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out 
thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake,  and 
"will  not  remember  thy  sins."  Isaiah  xliii.  25. 
By  this  Jehovah  is  distinguished  from  the  gods 
of  the  heathen.  It  was  vain  for  a  man  to 
expect  salvation  from  dumb  idols,  and  to  ask 
forgiveness  from  the  work  of  his  own  hands. 
How  impressively  is  this  taught  in  Isaiah  xliv. 
where,  after  exposing  the  absurdity  of  falling 
down  to  the  stock  of  a  tree,  God  introduces 


PETITION.  133 

himself  by  saying ;  "  I  have  blotted  out  as  a 
thick  cloud  thy  transgressions,  and  as  a  cloud 
thy  sins  !"  And  how  strikingly  is  this  view 
of  the  distinguishing  excellence  of  Jehovah, 
exhibited  in  the  weil-known  language  of 
Micah,  "Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,  that 
pardoneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the  trans- 
gression of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage.  He 
retaineth  not  his  anger  for  ever,  because  he 
dehghteth  in  mercy !" 

Nor  are  these  the  only  arguments  we  are 
permitted  to  employ  in  begging  the  forgive- 
ness of  our  sins.  We  are  encouraged  to  plead 
the  work  and  righteousness  of  Christ,  as  the 
foundation  on  which  pardon  can  be  extended 
to  the  guilty,  whilst  the  honour  of  the  divine 
law  is  fully  maintained.  "  In  whom  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness 
of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace." 
Eph.  i.  7.  In  token  of  the  infinite  value  of  the 
atonement,  God  the  Father,  not  only  grants 
pardon  to  the  sinner,  but  has  given  to  his  Son 
the  honour  of  conferring  it :  so  that  the  same 
Redeemer  who  purchased  forgiveness  by  his 
blood,  makes  offer  of  it  in  the  gospel,  and  actu- 
ally bestows  it.  During  the  days  of  his  pub- 
lic ministry,  it  was  proved  by  the  miracles 
which  he  wrought,  that  the  Son  of  man  had 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sin.  One  of  the 
latest  charges  delivered  to  his  disciples  before 
his  ascension,  was  to  the  effect,  that  repent- 
ance and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached 
in  his  name  among  all  nations.  And  in  ful- 
filling that  ministry  with  which  they  were  in- 

12 


134  PETITION. 

trusted,  the  disciples  did  not  fail  to  give  con- 
tinual prominence  to  this  blessing.  "  Him 
hath  God  exalted  with  his  right  hand,  a  Prince 
and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance  to  Israel, 
and  the  forgiveness  of  sins."  Acts  v.  31.  Nor 
can  we  omit  to  notice  that,  on  the  solemn 
night  when  he  instituted  the  ordinance  of  the 
Supper,  forgiveness  of  sin  is  expressly  men- 
tioned by  our  Lord  as  the  leading  blessing  of 
the  New  Testament,  and  as  expressly  signified 
in  that  ordinance:  "This  is  my  blood  of  the 
New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many,  for 
the  remission  of  sins."  Matt.  xxvi.  28. 

So  abundant  is  the  divine  mercy,  and  so 
free  and  ample  the  offers  of  the  gospel,  that 
those  very  circumstances  which  are  in  them- 
selves fitted  to  alarm  the  sinner,  he  is  encour- 
aged to  use  as  arguments  in  begging  forgive- 
ness. Are  his  sins  numerous  and  aggravated? 
There  is  a  suitable  petition  already  prepared; 
— "  For  thy  name's  sake,  O  Lord,  pardon 
mine  iniquity,  for  it  is  great."  Ps.  xxv.  IL 
Is  his  misery  deep  ?  Let  him  unfold  all  his 
wretchedness.  "  O  remember  not  against  us 
former  iniquities,  let  thy  tender  mercies  speed- 
ily prevent  us,  for  we  are  brought  very  low." 
Ps.  Ixxix.  8.  Does  he  long  to  taste  the  bless- 
edness of  the  man  whose  iniquities  are  forgiv- 
en, and  does  he  esteem  the  condition  of  the 
justified  person,  to  whom  there  is  now  no 
condemnation,  as  a  state  infinitely  more  valu- 
able than  any  thing  that  could  be  purchased 
by  the  whole  world  ?  Let  him  give  free  ut- 
terance to  these  sentiments  in  his  pleadings  at 


PETITION.  135 

the  throne  of  grace.  Let  him  not  rest  satis- 
fied till  he  is  able  to  unite  with  the  apostle  in 
his  declaration : — "  Being  justified  by  fahh, 
we  have  peace  with  God  through  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  Rom.  v.  I. 

Closely  connected  with  pardon,  is  the  pri- 
vilege of  being  admitted  into  a  new  and  en- 
deared relation  to  God  as  our  reconciled  fa- 
ther in  Christ ;  and  this  privilege  also  ought 
to  be  made  the  subject  of  special  petition.  It 
is  true  that,  if  the  returning  sinner  is  properly 
affected  with  his  own  unworthiness,  he  will 
esteem  it  an  instance  of  unspeakable  kindness 
that  he  is  admitted  into  any  relation  whatever, 
with  that  God  whom  he  has  so  often  and  so 
grievously  oflfended.  How  much  more  should 
he  feel  impressed  with  the  oflfer  of  being  taken 
into  covenant  with  God,  and  being  made  the 
object  of  his  special  love  and  favour !  Yet 
even  this  may  be  obtained  in  answer  to  pray- 
er. In  regard  to  this  as  well  as  other  good 
things,  the  promises  of  the  divine  word  may 
be  converted  into  petitions.  "  Incline  your 
ear  and  come  unto  me,  hear  and  your  soul 
shall  live,  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  Da- 
vid." Isa.  Iv.  3.  It  is  truly  wonderful  that  the 
great  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  should  con- 
descend to  enter  into  any  thing  that  can  be 
called  a  covenant  with  creatures,  and  much 
more  with  creatures  who  by  their  sins  had 
provoked  his  displeasure  and  incurred  his 
wrath.  Can  any  ingratitude  equal  that  of 
rejecting  such  an  offer !     Can  any  guilt  be 


136  PETITION. 

compared  with   that  of  trampling  upon  such 
unparalleled  goodness ! 

Those  who  are  thus  admitted  into  covenant 
with  God,  stand  to  him  in  the  relation  of  chil- 
dren. One  of  the  most  delightful  views  that 
we  can  take  of  the  blessings  flow^ing  from  the 
mediation  of  Christ,  is,  that  those  who  are  in- 
terested in  that  mediation  are  called  sons  of 
God,  "  When  the  fulness  of  the  time  was 
come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  wo- 
man, made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them 
that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  re- 
ceive the  adoption  of  sons,"  Gal.  iv.  4,  5. 
This  is  a  privilege  closely  connected  in  various 
ways,  with  the  exercise  of  prayer.  It  is  even 
promised  in  answer  to  prayer :  "  Wilt  thou  not 
from  this  time  cry  unto  me,  my  Father,  thou 
art  the  guide  of  my  youdi  ?"  Jer.  iii.  4.  And 
when  it  is  conferred,  it  is  accompanied  with 
the  Spirit  of  prayer,  who  enables  the  person 
to  address  the  throne  of  grace  with  new  hope 
and  confidence.  "  Because  ye  are  sons,  God 
hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your 
hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father."  Gal.  iv.  6.  So 
soon  as  any  one  is  enabled  to  call  God  Father, 
and  is  really  possessed  of  the  feelings  of  a 
heaven-born  child,  he  begins  to  have  a  de- 
lightful consciousness  that  his  prayers  are 
heard  and  answered.  He  begins  to  see  the 
importance  and  to  taste  the  sweetness  of  many 
portions  of  the  divine  word,  the  meaning  of 
which  was  before  very  dimly  apprehended, 
if  at  all  understood.  He  is  now  able  to  ap- 
preciate the  value  of  our  Lord's  invitation 


PETITION.  137 

when  he  says,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  la- 
bour and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of 
me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye 
shall  find  rest  to  your  souls."  Matt.  xi.  28,  29. 
He  knows  by  experience,  that  it  is  one  of  the 
privileges  of  the  children  of  God  to  cast  their 
cares  upon  the  Saviour,  and  to  find  true  rest 
by  entering  his  service. 

And  this  leads  us  to  mention  a  third  bless- 
ing, which  it  becomes  us  to  ask,  and  that  is  an 
assurance,  or  at  least  a  lively  hope,  of  our  re- 
conciliation to  God  and  acceptance  with  him. 
Many  and  varied  are  the  expressions,  by  which 
this  blessing  is  brought  under  our  notice  in 
the  word  of  God.  Sometimes  it  is  described 
by  the  notion  of  God  causing  the  light  of  his 
countenance  to  shine  upon  his  people  ;  and  ac- 
cordingly we  are  taught  to  pray  : — "  God  be 
merciful  unto  us,  and  bless  us,  and  cause  his 
face  to  shine  upon  us,"  Psa.  Ixvii.  1.  Some- 
titnes  it  is  spoken  of  as  the  communicating  to 
the  soul,  by  divine  power,  of  joy  and  glad 
ness : — "  Make  me  to  hear  joy  and  gladness, 
that  the  bones  which  thou  hast  broken  may 
rejoice,"  Psa.  li.  8.  And  very  often  it  is  re- 
presented under  the  idea  of  giving  peace  to 
the  mind : — "  Let  the  peace  of  God  rule  in 
your  hearts,  unto  which  also  ye  are  called." 
CoL  iii.  15.  "  The  peace  of  God  which  passeth 
all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and 
minds  through  Christ  Jesus."  Phil.  iv.  7.  "  Now 
the  God  of  peace  fill  you  with  all  joy  and  peace 
in  believing,  that   ye   may  abound  in  hope 

12* 


138  PETITION. 

through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Rom. 
XV.  13. 

That  the  blessing  thus  variously  described 
is  exceedingly  valuable,  and  ought  to  be  earn- 
estly prayed  for,  v^e  need  scarcely  wait  to 
prove.  It  was  the  subject  of  special  interces- 
sion, in  behalf  of  believers  in  various  churches, 
on  the  part  of  the  apostle  Paul,  as  is  obvious 
from  the  passages  just  quoted.  In  its  own  na- 
ture it  is  inexpressibly  sweet  and  pleasant,  and 
yields  the  purest  and  most  elevated  enjoyment 
which  it  is  possible  to  taste  in  the  present 
world.  It  animates  to  the  discharge  of  every 
duty,  and  thus  contributes  in  no  ordinary  de- 
gree to  promote,  at  once  the  inward  sanctifi- 
cation  and  the  active  usefulness,  of  those  by 
whom  it  is  possessed.  Nor  ought  we  to  omit 
to  mention  how  much  it  is  fitted  to  recommend 
Christianity  to  the  world.  A  man  who  carries 
about  with  him  a  sense  of  reconcihation 
with  God,  and  who  enjoys  in  consequence 
that  inward  peace  which  passeth  all  under- 
standing, is  unspeakably  better  qualified  to 
recommend  his  religion  to  the  notice  of  his 
fellow-men,  than  is  one  who  lives  continually 
in  the  region  of  doubts  and  fears.  His  own 
sense  of  security  will  give  strength  and  energy 
to  all  his  efforts  for  the  good  of  others ;  and 
the  happiness  he  possesses,  so  far  as  it  is  known 
to  others,  (and  in  some  particulars  it  cannot 
be  concealed,)  must  be  regarded  as  a  living 
testimony,  not  only  to  the  truth,  but  also  to  the 
supreme  excellence  of  true  religion. 

It  is  further  to  be  remarked  that  faith,  love, 


PETITION.  139 

and  every  other  Christian  grace,  are  to  be  ex- 
pected in  answer  to  prayer.  Faith  is  a  duty, 
and  we  are  commanded  to  exercise  it :  "  This 
is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  beheve 
in  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  1  John 
iii.  23.  But  it  is  also  a  blessing  conferred  by 
Divine  grace ;  and  as  such  it  must  be  made 
the  subject  of  petition.  "  By  grace  are  ye 
saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves, 
it  is  the  gift  of  God,"  Eph.  ii.  8.  "  Unto  you  it 
is  given,  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  to  believe 
on  him,"  Phil.  i.  29.  In  harmony  with  these 
statements,  is  the  prayer  of  the  distressed 
father,  whose  son  was  possessed  of  a  deaf  and 
dumb  spirit, — "  Lord,  I  believe  ;  help  thou 
mine  unbelief,"  Mark  ix.  24.  And  not  only 
are  we  to  pray  that  this  grace  may  be  im- 
planted in  our  hearts,  we  must  also  continue 
to  pray  that  it  may  be  preserved  and  strength- 
ened. Thus  we  are  told  that  the  apostles 
said  unto  the  Lord,  "  Increase  our  faith." 

To  speak  of  the  importance  of  faith,  would 
be  to  enter  upon  a  field  too  extensive  for  us  at 
present.  Its  connection  at  once  with  justifica- 
tion and  regeneration,  is  sufficient  to  account 
for  the  prominent  place  which  it  occupies  in 
the  scriptures.  The  relation  in  which  it  stands 
to  prayer,  is  itself  a  subject  of  great  interest 
and  extent.  As  we  cannot  pray  acceptably 
without  faith  ;  so  the  power  of  faith  in  prayer, 
is  spoken  of  as  absolutely  unlimited.  "  All 
things  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  faith,  believ- 
ing ye  shall  receive,"  Mat.  xxi.  22.  Seeing 
faith  is  of  so  much  importance  in  prayer,  and 


140  PETITION. 

seeing  that  it  is  at  the  same  time  to  be  itself 
obtained  preserved  and  increased,  in  answer 
to  prayer,  we  are  thus  furnished  with  an  over- 
whelming argument  for  making  it  the  subject 
of  unwearied  supplications  at  the  throne  of 
grace.  If  the  life  of  the  Christian  is  a  life 
of  constant  prayer,  it  is  also  a  life  of  constant 
faith.  The  same  apostle  who  commands  us 
to  pray  without  ceasing,  and  whose  practice 
we  cannot  doubt  was  in  accordance  with  his 
precept,  says  also,  "  The  life  which  J  live  in 
the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 
who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me,"  Gal. 
ii.  20. 

Faith  in  Christ  is  always  accompanied  with 
love  to  God,  which  also  is  promised  in  the 
scriptures,  communicated  by  the  Spirit,  and 
implanted  and  perpetuated  in  answer  to  pray- 
er. The  kindness  and  condescension  of  God 
in  bestowing  this  blessing  upon  sinners,  it  is 
impossible  for  us  fully  to  appreciate,  as  the 
longer  it  is  considered  it  must  appear  the 
more  astonishing.  The  obligation  to  love  the 
Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart,  and  soul, 
and  mind,  belongs  to  us  as  creatures,  and 
arises  necessarily  from  the  character  and  per- 
fections of  God  himself  To  fail  in  discharg- 
ing this  duty,  is  to  fail  in  accomplishing  the 
very  end  of  our  being,  and  is  destructive  in 
ourselves  of  the  source  of  all  true  happiness. 
Not  to  love  God,  is  the  essence  at  once  of  sin 
and  of  misery.  How  rich  then  that  grace 
which  is  displayed  in  communicating  this 
principle,  where  it  has  been  lost.     It  is  a  re- 


PETITION.  141 

storation  of  life  to  the  dead,  and  as  such  it  is 
described  in  some  of  those  promises  which  we 
are  permitted  to  plead  in  prayer.  "  The  Lord 
thy  God  will  circumcise  thy  heart,  and  the 
heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  that 
thou  mayest  live."  Deut.  xxx.  6. 

This  principle  of  divine  love  is  produced 
by  the  same  agency,  as  that  by  which  the 
grace  of  faith  is  implanted.  "  The  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  is  given  unto  us."  Rom.  v.  5.  In 
order  to  love  any  object  it  is  necessary  that 
we  behold  its  beauty  and  excellence;  and 
faith  is  the  eye,  by  which  the  glory  of  the 
divine  perfections  is  so  discovered,  as  to  ren- 
der God  the  supreme  object  of  regard  and  af- 
fection. The  Lord  Jesus  himself,  when  thus 
discovered,  is  seen  to  be  fairer  than  the  chil- 
dren of  men,  the  chiefest  among  ten  thousand, 
and  altogether  lovely;  and  the  believer  be- 
comes qualified  to  understand  the  language  of 
Peter,  when  he  says,  "  Whom  having  not  seen 
ye  love ;  in  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him 
not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory."   1  Pet.  i.  8. 

Not  only  on  account  of  our  high  obligation 
to  discharge  those  duties  to  which  it  prompts, 
nor  even  on  account  of  its  own  inherent  sweet- 
ness alone,  should  we  be  constrained  to  pray 
for  this  grace,  but  also  on  account  of  its  influ- 
ence in  counteracting  and  overcoming  other 
principles  which  it  is  alike  our  interest  and 
our  duty  to  mortify.     As  on  the  one  hand  it 


142  PETITION. 

is  true,  that  "  if  any  man  love  the  world,  the 
love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him,"  1  John  ii. 
15,  so  is  it  true  on  the  other,  that  the  love  of 
the  Father  will  destroy  the  love  of  the  world. 
The  most  effectual  way  to  prevent  our  affec- 
tions from  being  set  on  the  things  of  the  earth 
is,  obviously,  to  have  them  fixed  on  the  things 
that  are  above. 

Intimately  connected  with  love  to  God,  is 
that  humility  which  so  well  becomes  us,  as 
creatures  and  as  sinners,  and  for  which  also 
we  are  encouraged  to  pray.  Jesus  is  exalted 
to  bestow  not  forgiveness  only,  but  also  re- 
pentance, and  the  one  as  well  as  the  other  we 
are  to  make  the  subject  of  petition.  To  the 
dispositions  of  humility,  penitence,  and  meek- 
ness, there  are  many  promises  made.  The 
high  and  lofty  One  who  inhabits  eternity, 
dwells  with  him  that  is  humble  and  of  a  con- 
trite spirit.  But  what  it  concerns  us  to  re- 
mark at  present  is,  that  these  dispositions  are 
themselves  promised,  and  may  be  obtained  in 
answer  to  prayer.  In  the  well-known  invita- 
tion addressed  by  our  Lord  to  the  weary  and 
heavy  laden,  he  says,  "  learn  of  me,  for  I  am 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart."  Matt.  xi.  29.  We 
are  commanded  to  have  the  same  mind  in  us 
that  was  also  in  Christ ;  and  here  we  find  Je- 
sus distinctly  offering  to  impart  to  us  his  own 
disposhions.  Whoever  has  his  eyes  opened 
to  the  surpassing  loveliness  of  the  Saviour's 
character,  will  in  some  measure  understand 
the  value  of  this  blessed  offer. 

Nothing  is  more  common  than  to  plead  the 


PETITION.  143 

infirmities  of  natural  temper,  as  an  excuse  for 
the  indulgence  of  pride,  anger,  and  discontent. 
But  how  Uttle  weight  can  such  an  excuse 
have,  seeing  God  has  promised  to  give  a  new 
heart !  There  is  not  an  evil  cleaving  to  hu- 
man nature,  for  which  there  is  not  an  ade- 
quate remedy  provided  in  the  gospel.  "  Put 
on  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  be- 
loved, bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  humble- 
ness of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering ;  for- 
bearing one  another,  and  forgiving  one  an- 
other, if  any  man  have  a  quarrel  against  any: 
even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye." 
Col.  iii.  13.  Another  beautiful  illustration  of 
that  temper  which  the  gospel  both  inculcates 
and  inspires,  we  have  in  the  often-quoted  lan- 
guage of  Paul,  in  which  he  describes  his  own 
feelings.  "  I  have  learned  in  whatsoever  state 
I  am,  therewith  to  be  content.  I  know  both 
how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound, 
everywhere  and  in  all  things,  I  am  instructed 
both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to 
abound  and  to  suffer  need."  And  lest  any 
one  should  despair  of  attaining  a  state  of  mind 
so  excellent,  the  apostle  immediately  points 
out  the  source  from  which  this  and  every 
other  good  thing  is  to  be  obtained.  "  I  can 
do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strengthen- 
eth  me."  Phil.  iv.  11—13. 

Such  a  state  of  mind  as  this  implies  the  pos- 
session of  inward  sanctification,  a  blessing 
which  also  we  are  encouraged  to  make  the 
subject  of  special  petition.  Closely  connected 
with  that  change  of  state  which  is  effected  in 


144 


PETITION. 


justification,  is  a  change  of  character  pro- 
duced by  regeneration;  and  this  change  of 
character,  although  in  itself  so  great  as  to  be 
called  life  from  the  dead,  and  so  complete  as 
to  renovate  the  deepest  springs  of  feeling  and 
action,  is  yet  only  the  commencement  of  a 
work  which  is  destined  to  transform  the  whole 
man.  The  power  of  depraved  nature  and  of 
ungodly  habits,  is  not  to  be  destroyed  at  once. 
The  Christian  has  a  race  to  run,  a  battle  to 
fight.  The  principles  of  indwelling  sin  are 
gradually  overcome,  they  are  subjected  to  the 
process  of  crucifixion.  In  the  day  of  convert- 
ing grace  they  are  nailed  to  the  cross,  and 
their  death  is  certain,  however  painful  and 
lingering  the  process  by  which  their  destruc- 
tion is  eflfected.  "  Our  old  man  is  crucified 
with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  de- 
stroyed, that  henceforth  we  should  not  serve 
sin,"  Rom.  vi.  6. 

In  matters  of  this  kind,  an  honest-hearted 
and  diligent  inquirer  will  have  less  difficulty 
in  discovering  his  own  personal  wants,  than 
in  appreciating  the  value  of  some  of  the  other 
blessings  of  which  we  have  spoken.  His  de- 
sires ioi*  pardon,  for  peace,  for  the  hope  of 
heaven,  lor  faith  and  love,  may  be  extremely 
feeble ;  and  here,  as  on  a  former  occasion,  we 
can  imagine  him  to  say,  "  If  I  am  to  pray  for 
nothing  which  I  do  not  really  and  sincerely 
desire,  I  cannot  make  all  these  matters  the 
subject  of  petition."  In  reply  to  this  we  would 
ask, — Can  you  deny  that  these  blessings  are 
exceedingly  desirable  1  Does  not  reason,  does 


PETITION.  145 

not  common  sense,  declare  that  they  are  of 
infinite  value,  unless  Christianity  itself  is  a  de- 
lusion? Is  it  possible  that  your  consciousness 
of  guilt  is  so  slight,  that  you  do  not  consider 
it  worth  j^our  while  so  much  as  to  ask  for- 
giveness? Is  it  not  desirable  to  possess  that 
confidence  in  the  Divine  mercy,  which  would 
enable  you  to  overcome  the  fear  of  death  ?  At 
all  events  you  must  admit  (whatever  may  be 
your  feelings  in  regard  to  the  subject  of  sanc- 
tification  generally,)  that  the  temper  exem- 
plified by  Paul  in  the  passage  above  quoted,  is 
a  rich  possession,  and  more  than  worthy  of  all 
the  pains  you  can  ever  take  to  acquire  it. 
Without  fear  of  hypocrisy  you  may  surely 
acknowledge,  in  the  presence  of  that  God  to 
whom  all  your  sins,  your  inconsistencies,  your 
follies  are  known,  that  such  a  state  of  mind  it 
is  not  yet  your  privilege  to  possess.  And  by 
earnestly  and  perseveringly  praying  for  its  at- 
tainment, you  will  become  more  and  more 
sensible,  on  the  one  hand,  of  the  excellence  of 
the  blessing  which  you  desire,  and  on  the 
other,  of  your  own  manifold  imperfections. 
Thus  your  petitions  will  multiply  in  proportion 
to  the  sincerity  with  which  they  are  presented. 
But  we  must  proceed  to  observe,  that  the 
promises  of  the  divine  word  hold  out  encour- 
agement to  ask  in  prayer,  strength  to  perform 
the  duties,  resist  the  temptations,  and  over- 
come the  difficulties  of  our  situation.  The 
source  of  all  holiness  of  heart  and  character, 
is  the  principle  of  spiritual  hfe ;  and,  when 
this  principle  has  been  implanted,  we  are  en- 

13 


146  PETITION. 

couraged  to  pray  that  it  may  be  preserved  and 
invigorated.  As  the  gospel  is  intended  to  open 
men's  eyes,  and  turn  them  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God  ; 
it  must  be  ^warrantable  to  pray  that  this  object 
may  be  accomplished.  And  after  our  eyes 
have  been  thus  opened,  it  becomes  us  to  ask 
wisdom  to  know  the  path  of  duty,  and  the  ne- 
cessary obedience  and  self-denial  to  walk  in 
that  path  when  it  is  known.  Solomon  was 
accepted  when  he  intreated  the  Lord  to  grant 
him  a  wise  and  understanding  heart ;  and  the 
apostle  besought  God,  in  behalf  of  the  Colos- 
sians,  that  they  might  walk  worthy  of  the 
Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  being  fruitful  in  every 
good  work. 

The  wisdom  thus  obtained,  must  appear  in 
the  whole  course  of  our  words  and  actions. 
In  regard  to  our  conversation,  it  becomes  us 
to  pray  with  the  Psalmist : — "  Set  a  w^atch,  O 
Lord,  before  my  mouth ;  keep  the  door  of  my 
lips."  Psalm  cxli.  3.  And  in  regard  to  our 
general  conduct,  we  must  remember  that  "  the 
grace  of  God,  which  bringeth  salvation,  teach- 
eth  us  to  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts, 
and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in 
the  present  world."  As  the  promises  of  the 
divine  word  are  our  warrant  in  prayer,  so  the 
commands  laid  upon  us  as  believers  imply  a 
promise  of  grace  to  obey  them ;  and  this  be- 
ing the  case,  the  very  precepts  of  the  scrip- 
tures may  be  turned  into  prayers.  The  peti- 
tion of  David,  "  Order  my  steps  in  thy  word, 
and  let  not  any  iniquity  have  dominion  over 


PETITION.  147 

me,"  Psalm  cxix.  133,  cannot  be  too  often  re- 
peated. And  in  general,  the  promise,  "  As 
thy  day  so  shall  thy  strength  be,"  Deut.  xxxiii., 
25,  is  suitable  in  all  the  varied  circumstances  of 
duty,  difficulty,  or  affliction,  in  which  we  may 
be  placed.  We  must  not  wait  to  quote  pas- 
sages of  scripture  at  any  length  ;  but  would 
strongly  recommend  that  the  person  who  reads 
these  hints,  with  the  desire  of  turning  what  is 
suggested  to  practical  use,  should,  for  himself, 
consult  the  word  of  God,  ifeat  he  may  become 
familiar  with  those  promises  and  recorded  pe- 
titions which  are  suitable  to  his  own  situation. 
This  is  a  task  which  it  is  not  difficult  to  per- 
form, and  which  will  amply  repay  all  the 
trouble  it  may  cost. 

As  the  ordinances  of  grace,  whether  public 
or  private,  and  the  dispensations  of  divine 
providence  which  work  together  for  good  to 
believers,  will  not  produce  those  sanctified 
fruits  which  render  them  so  valuable,  without 
the  special  blessing  of  God,  this  suggests  an- 
other class  of  petitions,  which  it  is  every  way 
proper  to  urge  in  the  presence  of  the  Hearer 
of  prayer.  In  regard  to  the  public  ordinances, 
Jesus  himself  has  promised  to  be  with  his  ser- 
vants and  people  when  they  meet  together ; 
and  this  promise  should  be  made  use  of  in 
prayer  every  tinie  we  enter  the  house  of  God. 
Without  the  presence  of  Christ,  the  ordinances 
will  be  productive  of  no  real  advantage  ;  on 
the  contrary,  they  will  prove  the  savour  of 
death  unto  death.  But  by  looking  to  Jesus 
before  we  come  to  the  house  of  God,  and  im- 


148  PETITION. 

ploring  his  countenance  and  blessing  on  those 
institutions  which  he  himseh'  has  appointed, 
we  may  expect  to  find  it  good  to  draw  near 
unto  God,  and  thus  to  make  progress  in  spir- 
itual wisdom  and  holiness. 

And  the  same  blessing  will  rest  on  all  the  dis- 
pensations oi  divine  providence,  if  asked  in  sin- 
cerity and  faith.  From  the  afflictions  of  the  pre- 
sent life,  Christians  are  not  exempt  any  more 
than  others,  but  they  have  access  to  the  rich- 
est sources  of  consolation,  from  which  it  is 
the  misery  of  multitudes  that  they  foolishly 
turn  away.  Grace  is  to  be  obtained  in  an- 
swer to  prayer,  by  which  the  sufferer  may  be 
supported  in  all  his  troubles.  The  same  Sa- 
viour, whose  presence  with  his  people  in  the 
ordinances  fills  their  hearts  with  joy,  has  prom- 
ised also  to  meet  wqth  them  and  to  bless  them 
in  the  furnace  of  affliction.  **  When  thou 
passest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee; 
and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow 
thee ;  when  thou  walkest  through  the  fire  thou 
shalt  not  be  burned ;  neither  shall  the  flame 
kindle  upon  thee."  Isa.  xliii.  2.  The  presence 
of  Christ  in  trouble,  secures  support  under  it 
whilst  it  continues,  and  permanent  advantage 
from  it  afterwards.  The  apostle  Paul,  in 
praying  for  the  Colossians,  besought  the  Lord 
that  they  might  "  be  strengthened  with  all 
might  according  to  his  glorious  power,  unto 
all  patience  and  long-suffering  with  joyful- 
ness."  Col.  i.  11.  And  the  promises  are  not 
a  few,  which  teach  us  to  look  for  such  an  in- 
fluence upon  our  afflictions  as  shall  not  only 


PETITION.  149 

sustain  us  under  them,  but  convert  them  into 
positive  blessings.  "  We  know  that  all  things 
work  together  for  good,  to  them  that  love 
God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to 
his  purpose."  Rom.  viii.  28.  ''  Now,  no  chas- 
tening, for  the  present,  seemeth  to  be  joyous, 
but  grievous :  nevertheless^  afterward  it  yield- 
eth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness,  to 
them  which  are  exercised  thereby."  Heb.  xii. 
11. 

To  enumerate  all  the  blessings,  which  we 
ought  to  ask  in  prayer,  is  impossible,  and  to 
attempt  to  do  so  could  serve  no  good  purpose. 
Our  object  is  merely  to  suggest  hints,  which 
the  serious  reader  may  follow  out  in  his  own 
meditations.  We  shall  therefore  proceed  to 
offer  a  few  thoughts  on  the  second  point  for- 
merly noticed,  namely  the  manner  in  which 
our  petitions  ought  to  be  presented. 

Petition,  as  well  as  adoration,  may  be  ad- 
dressed to  all  the  persons  of  the  Godhead,  and 
to  each  of  them  severally.  On  this  point, 
however,  we  shall  not  dwell.  Petition,  also, 
like  every  other  part  of  prayer,  is  to  be  offer- 
ed to  God  in  the  name  of  Christ.  The  rela- 
tion in  which  our  blessed  Lord  stands  to  be- 
lieving prayer,  is  a  subject  susceptible  of  most 
extensive  illustration.  In  the  first  place,  it  is 
through  Christ  that  we  have  access  to  the 
Father.  In  the  second  place,  it  is  by  grace 
derived  from  Christ  that  we  are  enabled  to 
pray  with  acceptance.  And  in  the  third  place, 
the  blessings  which  we  really  need  are  all 
conferred  by  God  in  the  way  of  discovering 

13* 


150  PETITION. 

Christ  to  the  soul.     This  last  point  is  the  only 
one  to  which  we  shall  particularly  allude. 

It  is  in  Christ  that  the  glory  of  the  divine 
character  is  discerned :  "  No  man  hath  seen 
God  at  any  time ;  the  only  begotten  Son, 
'which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath 
declared  him."  John  i.  18.  The  unrenewed 
mind  cannot  discern  Christ ;  it  perceives  nei- 
ther the  truth  and  reality  of  his  character,  nor 
the  unparalleled  excellence  by  which  he  is 
distinguished.  "  The  natural  man  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  for  they 
are  foolishness  unto  him ;  neither  can  he  know 
them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned." 
1  Cor.  ii.  14.  By  the  almighty  operation  of 
divine  grace,  the  eyes  of  the  understanding 
are  opened  to  see  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is 
indeed  the  Christ.  The  scripture  testimony 
concerning  him,  is  seen  in  its  truth  and  cer- 
tainty. The  beauty  of  his  moral  character, 
presenting  such  an  entire  contrast  to  the 
weakness  and  wickedness  of  human  nature 
as  we  find  it  in  ourselves  and  others,  is  beheld 
in  its  surpassing  loveliness,  as  "  fairer  than  the 
children  of  men."  "  God  who  commanded 
the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined 
in  our  hearts,  to  giv^e  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ."  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  This  spiritual  discovery 
of  Christ  to  the  soul,  is  variously  spoken  of  in 
the  word  of  God.  Among  other  names  which 
are  applied  to  it,  it  is  called  revelation.  "  It 
pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from  my  mo- 
ther's womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to 


PETITION.  151 

reveal  his  Son  in  me."  Gal.  i.  15,  16.  When 
Peter  professed  for  the  first  time  his  belief  in 
the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  his  Master  said  to 
him  in  reply,  "  Blessed  art  thou  Simon  Bar- 
jona,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it 
unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  hea- 
ven.'' Matt.  xvi.  17. 

Without  this,  none  of  the  blessings  already 
enumerated  can  be  received ;  neither  pardon, 
nor  acceptance,  nor  peace ;  neither  faith,  nor 
love,  nor  penitence.  Till  Christ  is  spiritually 
discerned,  the  heart  cannot  be  united  to  him, 
and  w^ill  rely  upon  him  neither  for  justifying 
righteousness  nor  sanctifying  grace.  When 
pardon  is  conferred,  Jesus  is  revealed  to  the 
soul  as  he  "  in  whom  there  is  redemption 
through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins.'* 
Eph.  i.  7.  When  acceptance  is  granted,  he 
is  beheld  as  *'  the  Lord  our  righteousness." 
Jer.  xxiii.  6.  Whatever  be  the  blessing  that 
is  conveyed,  it  is  perceived,  appreciated,  ac- 
cepted by  the  believer,  only  in  and  with  Christ. 
This  revelation  of  Jesus  to  the  soul,  is  just  the 
enabling  a  person  to  look  at  him  with  the  eye 
of  faith ;  and  wherever  any  one  is  enabled 
to  do  this,  there  will  love,  humility,  and  every 
other  grace  be  found. 

Let  us  request  our  reader  to  direct  his  atten- 
tion to  this  the  more  carefully,  as  it  is  the 
very  point  at  which  the  distinction  between  a 
true  believer  and  a  hypocrite  is  most  clearly 
to  be  discerned.  A  mere  professor  may  pray 
for  pardon  and  all  the  other  blessings  we 
have  named,  from  day  to  day ;  but,  resting 


152  PETITION. 

satisfied  with  going  through  the  duty  of  asking, 
he  never  advances  a  step  further.  Make  it 
therefore  the  matter  of  your  prayer  night  and 
day,  that  God  would  reveal  Christ  to  your 
souk  In  regard  to  this  particular  blessing, 
ask  till  you  receive,  seek  till  you  find.  So 
long  as  this  is  not  obtained,  you  are  an  unbe- 
liever ;  you  can  neither  feel  the  power  of  the 
truth,  nor  taste  its  sweetness ;  the  god  of  this 
world,  having  blinded  your  mind,  has  rendered 
you  insensible  to  the  one  and  the  other.  But 
so  soon  as  Jesus  makes  himself  known  to  you 
in  the  glory  and  beauty  of  his  person,  in  the 
excellence  and  all-sufficiency  of  his  mediation, 
and  in  the  inexhaustible  riches  of  his  grace, 
old  things  will  pass  away  from  you  and  all 
things  will  become  new.  God,  Christ,  eter- 
nity, the  soul,  sin,  holiness,  the  world,  death, 
judgment,  will  all  present  themselves  in  a 
new  aspect.  The  divine  word  will  become 
sweet  and  pleasant,  more  precious  than  gold 
and  sweeter  than  honey.  "  In  thy  light  we 
shall  see  light."  Psalm  xxxvi.  9.  A  new 
life  will  be  communicated  to  your  sonl. 
"  This  is  life  eternal,  to  know  thee  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast 
sent."  John  xvii.  S.  Thus  the  storehouse 
oi^  heaven  opens  upon  you,  and  you  may 
apply  as  much  and  as  often  as  you  will. 
When  Christ  is  seen  in  his  beauty,  sanctifica- 
tion  and  every  grace  become  yours.  "  We 
all  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same 


PETITION.  153 

image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord."     2  Cor.  iii.  18. 

With  reference  to  this  matter,  be  exhorted 
to  pray  for  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
It  is  directly  by  the  operation  of  this  blessed 
agent,  that  Christ  is  made  known  to  the  soul 
in  the  manner  of  which  we  have  just  spoken; 
and  our  knowledge  of  this  circumstance  should 
lead  to  special  supplications  for  the  presence 
of  the  Spirit.  To  omit  this  is  to  neglect  to 
put  that  honour  upon  the  third  person  of  the 
Trinity,  to  which  as  well  from  the  part  he 
acts  in  the  economy  of  grace,  as  from  his 
essential  claims  as  God,  he  is  so  justly  entitled. 
If  therefore  you  would  be  savingly  acquainted 
with  Christ,  entreat  the  presence  and  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  All  other  bless- 
ings are  connected,  as  was  formerly  mentioned, 
with  this  one.  That  justification  which  in- 
cludes the  forgiveness  of  sins,  is  expressly 
said  to  be  by  faith,  and  this  faith  is  the  work 
of  the  Spirit.  That  renovation  of  heart  and 
character,  of  the  necessity  of  which  we  so 
often  read,  is  from  beginning  to  end  accom- 
plished by  the  same  blessed  agent.  Every 
Christian  grace  is  by  him  implanted  and  pre- 
served, and  every  duty  is  performed,  every 
difl^culty  overcome,  every  temptation  resisted, 
and  all  wisdom,  holiness,  and  comfort  received, 
through  his  divine  and  eflicacious  influence. 
And  how  often  and  how  kindly,  does  God 
promise  to  send  his  Spirit !  We  have  already 
alluded  to  the  well-known  argument  of  our 
Saviour,  "  If  ye  being  evil,  know  how  to  give 


154  PETITION. 

good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much 
more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  !"  Many  are 
the  passages  in  the  Old  Testament  as  well  as 
in  the  New,  which  hold  out  encouragement 
to  plead  the  accomplishment  of  this  most 
precious  promise.  "  I  will  put  my  Spirit 
within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my 
statutes,"  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27.  "  I  will  be  as 
the  dew  unto  Israel :" — "  I  will  pour  water 
on  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry 
ground  :  I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed, 
and  my  blessing  upon  thine  offspring."  Isa. 
xliv.  3.  That  the  Spirit  is  what  is  meant  by 
the  dew,  the  water,  the  floods,  here  spoken 
of,  is  abundantly  obvious  from  the  explanation 
given  by  the  evangelist  John  of  the  living 
water,  promised  by  our  Lord : — "  This  he 
spake  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe 
in  him  should  receive."     John  vii.  39. 

The  connection  between  petition  and  the 

exercise  of  faith,  deserves  to  be  particularly 

noticed.     We  have  said  that  it  is  our  duty  to 

pray  for  faith ;  we  now  observe  that  prayer 

cannot  be  acceptable  unless  it  is  presented  in 

faith.      "  Without   faith   it   is   impossible   to 

please  God ;  for  he  that  cometh  to  God  must 

believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  the  rewarder 

of  them  that  diligently  seek  him."    lleb.  xi.  6. 

By  faith,  we    understand  a  reliance  on    the 

promises  which  God  as  the  Hearer  of  prayer 

makes   to   sinners   through    the   Lord   Jesus 

Christ.     There  are  some  who  maintain  that 

the  prayer  of  faith  implies  an  assurance  that 


PETITION.  155 

what  we  ask  shall  be  granted,  and  that  when 
this  assurance  is  not  entertained,  faith  is 
wholly  awanting.  In  this  opinion  we  cannot 
concur.  There  may  be  faith  in  the  goodness 
and  power  of  God,  and  a  firm  reliance  upon 
the  faithfulness  of  his  promises,  whilst  in  re- 
gard to  any  particular  blessing  that  we  may 
ask,  there  may  be  an  uncertainty  on  our 
minds  whether  it  is  consistent  with  his  wisdom 
to  grant  it  at  the  time,  and  in  the  manner  that 
w^ould  agree  with  our  wishes.  A  child  may 
present  a  request  to  his  father,  in  perfect  con- 
fidence both  in  the  wisdom  and  the  affection 
of  his  parent,  although  he  is  by  no  means 
certain  that  his  immediate  wishes  will  be 
gratified.  Yet  there  may  be  circumstances 
which  are  sufficient  to  warrant  a  lively  hope, 
and  in  some  cases  an  assurance,  that  the  pe- 
tition will  be  granted.  If  the  blessing  asked 
has  been  expressly  promised  ;  if  the  person  in 
asking  it  feels  himself  in  the  very  circum- 
stance of  those  to  whom  the  promise  is  made  ; 
if  the  heart  is  secretly,  but  irresistibly  drawn 
out  to  rest  on  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  Je- 
hovah in  regard  to  the  blessing  desired,  and 
if,  moreover,  there  is  a  clear  discovery  made 
to  the  soul,  of  the  excellence  and  glory  of  that 
Redeemer  through  whom  all  blessings  are 
conveyed  ;  if,  in  addition  to  this,  there  is  a 
disposition  to  acquiesce  in  the  will  of  God, 
and  to  seek  that,  above  all  things,  the  Divine 
glory  may  be  promoted  in  the  bestow ment 
of  what  is  asked:  in  these  circumstances  there 
is  great  reason  to  believe  that  the  petition 


156  PETITION. 

will  be  granted.  Nay,  we  must  not  deny 
that,  in  some  cases,  an  assurance  that  God 
will  hear  his  prayer,  may  be  directly  impart- 
ed by  the  divine  Spirit  to  the  mind  of  a 
believer.  But  we  must  take  care  to  notice, 
that  the  hope  of  our  prayers  being  accepted, 
is  a  very  different  thing  from  the  assurance 
that  all  or  every  of  our  particular  lequests, 
will  be  answered. 

It  is  however  of  very  great  importance  that 
our  prayers  should  be  offered  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  be  accompanied,  on  our  part,  with 
the  humble  hope  that  God  does  really  regard 
them  as  prayers.  One  of  the  vv^ell-known  re- 
solutions of  the  famous  Jonathan  Edwards, 
was  to  the  following  effect :  —  "  Resolved, 
never  to  count  that  a  prayer,  nor  let  that  pass 
as  a  prayer,  nor  that  as  a  petition  of  a  prayer, 
which  is  so  made,  that  I  cannot  hope  that 
God  will  answer  it ;  nor  that  as  a  confession 
which  I  cannot  hope  God  will  accept."  To 
pray  with  the  secret  consciousness  that  our 
petitions  are  so  insincere,  or  so  carelessly  pre- 
sented, that  we  cannot  suppose  the  heart- 
searching  God  to  regard  them  as  petitions,  is 
heaven-daring  impiety ;  and  to  offer  prayers 
so  thoughtlessly  as  not  to  consider  how  God 
may  regard  them,  is,  to  say  the  very  least,  a 
gross  instance  of  wilful  self-deception.  On 
the  other  hand,  to  pray  with  the  constant 
dread  that  God  will  not  deign  to  listen  to  our 
requests,  and  with  the  painful  apprehension 
that,  let  us  do  what  we  may,  we  are  only 
adding  to  our  guilt  by  every  attempt  to  ap- 


PETITION.  157 

proach  his  throne,  betrays  a  spirit  of  bondage 
which  represses  even  those  desires  and  affec- 
tions that  are  truly  good,  and  leaves  the  heart 
discouraged  and  unsatisfied.  Let  the  atten- 
tion  be  firmly  fixed  on  the  manifold  assuran- 
ces contained  in  the  scriptures,  that  God  is  in 
very  truth  the  Hearer  of  prayer,  and  will  un- 
doubtedly make  himself  known  as  such  to  all 
those  who  diligently  seek  him.  Let  the  hum- 
ble hope  be  cherished,  that  the  prayers  you 
now  present,  God,  whose  omniscient  eye  wit- 
nesses your  desires,  will  surely  accept,  and 
that  so  far  as  what  you  ask  is  really  good, 
He  will  grant  your  petitions.  This  hope,  as 
far  removed  from  a  spirit  of  self-righteousness 
as  it  is  from  the  spirit  of  bondage,  will  pro- 
duce in  you  the  deepest  humility,  whilst  it  fills 
the  soul  with  peace,  love,  and  joy.  It  is  thus 
that  prayer  ceases  to  be  a  task,  and  becomes 
at  once  easy  and  pleasant  to  yourself,  and  ac- 
ceptable in  the  sight  of  God.  "  All  things 
whatsoever  ye  ask  in  prayer,  believing,  ye 
shall  receive."  Matt.  xxi.  22. 

Petitions  ought  to  be  made,  w^ith  special 
reference  to  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the 
petitioner,  at  the  time  when  they  are  present- 
ed. One  chief  objection  to  forms  of  prayer 
is  that,  however  excellent  in  themselves,  they 
do  not  express  the  varied  feelings  and  desires 
and  experiences  of  the  believer,  at  different 
times.  In  reply  to  this  objection,  it  is  often 
asked,  are  not  our  wants  always  the  same  ?  do 
we  not  daily  require  a  repetition  of  the  same 
blessings?     There  is,  no  doubt,  a  sense  in 

14 


158  PETITION. 

which  we  always  stand  in  need  of  the  same 
things,  and  it  would  be  easy  to  mention  a 
number  of  blessings,  such  as  the  pardon  of 
sin,  the  sanctification  of  the  heart,  protection 
from  temptation,  and  strength  for  the  dis- 
charge of  duty,  which  it  becomes  us  daily  to 
ask.  But  even  in  regard  to  these  blessings, 
not  only  is  there  a  constant  variety  in  the 
aspect  in  which  they  present  themselves  to  the 
mind  as  desirable,  but  there  are  daily  new 
circumstances  occurring,  without  reference  to 
which,  they  cannot  be  asked  in  sincerity.  If 
the  pardon  of  sin  is  prayed  for,  we  must  mean 
the  pardon  of  those  sins  which  we  have  most 
lately  committed ;  if  sanctification  is  desired, 
it  must  be  clearly  understood  as  including  de- 
liverance from  those  sinful  dispositions  and 
habits,  the  operation  of  which  has  just  been 
observed  upon  the  temper  or  conduct ;  if  pro- 
tection is  sought  from  temptation,  it  must  be 
from  those  temptations  especially  which  have 
most  frequently  overcome  us,  or  to  which, 
from  our  peculiar  circumstances,  we  at  pre- 
sent stand  most  exposed ;  and  if  grace  is  ask- 
ed for  the  discharge  of  duty,  we  must  have 
those  duties  in  view  to  which  we  are  at  the 
time  immediately  called.  The  circumstances 
of  every  individual  are  daily  undergoing  some 
change  ;  and  it  belongs  to  the  privileges  of 
the  child  of  God,  that  he  can  make  mention 
of  all  his  circumstances  to  his  heavenly  Fa- 
ther. Besides,  the  Christian  is  habitually 
making  progress  in  the  divine  life,  and  this  of 
itself  is  inconsistent  with  absolute  sameness 


PETITION.  159 

and  uniformity  in  his  devotional  exercises. 
As  the  inexhaustible  stores  of  the  word  of  God 
are  more  and  more  unfolded,  and  he  obtains 
a  clearer  perception  of  the  truth  and  beauty 
of  spiritual  objects,  his  desires  after  perfect 
conformity  to  the  lovely  example  of  the  Sa- 
viour become  enlarged,  and,  in  the  same  pro- 
portion, his  feeling  of  constant  dependence 
upon  divine  grace  will  be  deepened,  and  new 
and  varied  views  of  his  spiritual  wants  will 
daily  present  themselves  to  his  notice.  That 
growth  in  grace  may  be  promoted  in  the  be- 
liever, it  is  important  that  he  should  daily  re- 
view his  condition,  examine  his  progress,  and 
seek  to  learn  more  of  the  Saviour.  Let  him 
cherish  the  habit  of  living  day  by  day  near  to 
God,  looking  to  him  for  every  thing  he  needs, 
and  recognizing  him  in  every  event,  and  in 
every  action.  Let  him  daily  ask,  What  spe- 
cific errand  have  I  this  day  to  the  throne  of 
grace  ?  What  one  blessing  do  I  chiefly  want  ? 
What  is  there  suggested  by  the  portion  of 
scripture  I  have  read  in  the  closet,  or  in  the 
family,  or  by  the  dispensations  of  Providence 
— prosperous  or  adverse — or  by  the  present 
condition  of  the  Church  and  of  the  world,  or 
by  the  present  aspect  of  the  times,  which  I 
ought  specially  to  bring  before  God  this  day 
in  my  petitions  1 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THANKSGIVING. 


It  seems  strange  that  thanksgiving  should  be 
considered  as  a  part  of  prayer,  a  name  which, 
strictly  speaking,  denotes  the  asking  of  gra- 
tuitous favours,  or  the  presenting  of  petitions. 
It  is,  however,  an  exercise  which,  whether 
considered  as  a  part  of  prayer,  strictly  so 
called,  or  a  most  important  and  indispensable 
accompaniment  of  prayer,  cannot  be  over- 
looked by  any  one  who  professes  to  illustrate 
the  subject  of  secret  devotion.  If  we  are  to 
present  petitions  for  the  mercies  we  require,  it 
must  be  our  duty  to  return  thanks  for  those 
mercies  after  they  have  been  conferred.  If 
the  feeling  of  need,  and  the  cry  of  want,  are 
allowable  in  addressing  the  great  Object  of 
worship,  the  emotion  of  gratitude  cannot  be 
improper.  If  God  condescends  to  listen  to 
our  complaints,  and  to  answer  our  requests, 
he  will  surely  accept  of  those  expressions  of 
praise  and  thanksgiving  which  his  goodness  is 
so  well  fitted  to  excite. 

Indeed,  thanksgiving  is,  in  some  respects,  a 
more  exalted  exercise  than  the  ofl^ering  of  pe- 
titions. Even  between  man  and  man,  grati- 
tude is  a  principle  that  is  always  highly  es- 
teemed. Many  who  are  ready  enough  to 
request  favours,  are  slow  to  acknowledge  them 
160 


THANKSGIVING.  161 

after  they  are  received.  Petition  arises  from 
a  regard  to  our  own  interest  immediately  and 
directly;  gratitude  is  more  generous  and  unsel- 
fish, and  implies  a  respect  to  the  character  and 
claims  of  our  Benefactor.  As  a  part  of  divine 
worship,  thanksgiving  directs  attention  chiefly 
to  God,  petition,  chiefly  to  our  own  circum- 
stances ;  thanksgiving  is  closely  allied  to  love, 
petition  is  related  to  fear ;  thanksgiving  belongs 
to  angels,  petition  to  man  in  his  fallen  state; 
thanksgiving  will  be  continued  in  heaven,  peti- 
tion belongs  exclusively  to  the  worship  of  earth. 
Many  are  the  examples  of  thanksgiving  pre- 
sented to  us  in  the  scriptures.  God  has  not 
only  condescended  to  accept  of  the  gratitude 
of  his  creatures,  but  has  assured  us  of  this  in 
a  way  the  most  encouraging,  and  the  most 
suitable  to  our  weakness,  by  recording  for  us 
in  his  word  the  gratitude  of  his  people  in  for- 
mer ages,  and  the  language  in  which  their 
gratitude  was  expressed.  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O 
my  soul ;  and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless  his 
holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and 
forget  not  all  his  benefits."  Psalm,  ciii.  1,  2. 
"  Unto  thee,  O  God,  do  we  give  thanks,  unto 
thee  do  we  give  thanks :  for  that  thy  name  is 
near  thy  wondrous  works  declare."  Psalm 
Ixxv.  L  "  I  will  mention  the  loving-kindness 
of  the  Lord,  and  the  praises  of  the  Lord, 
according  to  all  that  the  Lord  hath  be- 
stowed on  us,  and  the  great  goodness  toward 
the  house  of  Israel,  which  he  hath  bestowed 
on  them  according  to  his  mercies,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  multitude  of  his  loving -kind- 


162  THANKSGIVING. 

nesses."  Isaiah  Ixiii.  7.  The  exercise  exem- 
plified in  these  and  many  other  passages,  may 
be  regarded  at  once  as  a  privilege  and  a  duty. 
It  is  a  privilege  for  a  creature,  and  especially 
for  a  sinful  creature,  to  have  access  to  God  in 
any  way,  and  much  more  to  approach  him  in 
a  state  of  mind  so  peaceful  and  happy,  as  that 
which  is  produced  by  the  feeling  and  the  ex- 
pression of  gratitude,  And  seeing  God  has 
condescended  to  accept  of  the  offering  of 
thanksgiving  even  from  poor  unworthy  sin- 
ners, through  the  all-prevailing  merits  of  his 
Son,  Jesus  Christ ;  to  refuse  to  present  this 
offering  must  imply  a  disregard  as  well  of 
moral  obligation,  as  of  Christian  privilege. 
Hence  the  command,  "  Offer  unto  God  thanks- 
giving; and  pay  thy  vows  unto  the  Most 
High."     Psalm  1.  14. 

Allusion  has  already  been  made,  see  page 
75,  to  the  distinction  between  adoration,  and 
thanksgiving.  The  claims  which  God  has 
upon  our  adoration,  arise  from  his  own  essen- 
tial character  and  the  glory  of  his  perfections  ; 
his  claims  on  our  thanksgiving  are  founded  on 
the  relations  in  which  he  stands  to  us  as  Crea- 
tor, Preserver,  and  Redeemer,  and  on  the  un- 
bounded favours  and  mercies  which  in  these 
relations  He  confers.  Adoration  has  respect 
to  all  the  divine  attributes,  thanksgiving  is  im- 
mediately and  properly  concerned  only  with 
the  attribute  of  goodness,  including,  of  course, 
love,  mercy,  and  patience.  We  adore  even 
the  divine  goodness,  as  a  glorious  and  excel- 
lent perfection  of  the  great  Supreme  ;  it  is  the 


THANKSGIVING.  163 

putting  forth  of  that  goodness  in  positive  acts 
of  kindness  which  excites  to  the  expression  of 
gratitude.  Other  attributes  than  that  of  be- 
nevolence, are  indeed  sometimes  spoken  of  as 
awakening  thanksgiving ;  for  example,  we  find 
David  saying,  "  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  O  ye 
saints  of  his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remem- 
brance of  his  holiness."  Psalm  xxx.  4.  In 
such  a  case,  how^ever,  the  feelings  expressed 
are  plainly  those  of  love  and  admiration,  pro- 
duced by  contemplating,  or  as  it  is  here  ex- 
pressed, by  remembering,  the  divine  holiness ; 
and  whatever  degree  of  gratitude,  properly  so 
called,  mingles  with  these  feelings,  must  arise 
from  the  goodness  displayed  in  those  acts  of 
God's  administration  by  which  his  holiness  is 
manifested. 

As  the  book  of  Psalms  abounds  with  the 
language  of  thanksgiving,  it  may  be  profitable 
to  advert,  in  a  few  sentences,  to  some  of  the 
examples  which  are  there  recorded,  together 
with  the  grounds  of  it  which  are  there  spe- 
cified. The  goodness  of  God  as  Creator,  is 
celebrated  in  such  passages  as  the  following: — 
*'  I  will  praise  thee,  for  I  am  fearfully  and  won- 
derfully made."  Psalm  cxxxix.  14.  "  O  Lord, 
our  God,  how  excellent  is  thy  name  in  all  the 
earth !  What  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful  of 
him  ?  and  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest 
him  ?  For  thou  hast  made  him  a  httle  lower 
than  the  angels,  and  hast  crowned  him  with 
glory  and  honour."  Ps.  viii.  1,  4,  5.  His 
goodness  in  the  ordinary  events  of  providence 
is  also  frequently  alluded  to.     "  Thou  visitest 


164  THANKSGIVING. 

the  earth,  and  waterest  it :  thou  greatly  en- 
richest  it  with  the  river  of  God,  which  is  full 
of  water:  thou  preparest  them  corn,  when 
thou  hast  so  provided  for  it."  Ps.  Ixv.  9.  "  He 
w^atereth  the  hills  from  his  chambers;  the 
earth  is  satisfied  with  the  fruit  of  thy  works. 
He  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle, 
and  herb  for  the  service  of  man ;  that  he  may 
bring  forth  food  out  of  the  earth.  O  Lord, 
how  manifold  are  thy  works,  in  wisdom  hast 
thou  made  them  all :  the  earth  is  full  of  thy 
riches.  So  is  this  great  and  wide  sea,  wherein 
are  things  creeping  innumerable,  both  small 
and  great  beasts.  These  all  wait  upon  thee, 
that  thou  mayest  give  them  their  meat  in  due 
season.  That  which  thou  givest  them  they 
gather ;  thou  openest  thine  hand,  thev  are  filled 
with  good."  Ps.  civ.  13,  14,  24,  25,  27,  28. 
But  the  warmest  expressions  of  gratitude,  refer 
to  spiritual,  rather  than  temporal  blessings. 
*'  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul ;  and  all  that  is 
within  me,  bless  his  holy  name.  Bless  the 
Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  his  bene- 
fits; who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities;  who 
healeth  all  thy  diseases ;  who  redeemeth  thy 
life  from  destruction:  who  crowneth  thee  with 
loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies."  Psalm 
ciii.  1 — 4.  As  might  be  expected,  we  fre- 
quently find  praise  and  thanksgiving  offered 
after  remarkable  deliverances,  whether  from 
temporal  or  spiritual  evils,  especially  when 
such  deliverances  have  been  granted  in  answer 
to  prayer:  "  I  love  the  Lord,  because  he  hath 
heard  my  voice  and  my  supplications.     Be- 


THANKSGIVING.  165 

cause  he  hath  inclined  his  ear  unto  me,  there- 
fore will  I  call  upon  him  as  long  as  I  live. 
The  sorrows  of  death  compassed  me,  and  the 
pains  of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me  :  I  found  trouble 
and  sorrow.  Then  called  I  upon  the  name  of 
the  Lord  :  O  Lord,  I  beseech  thee,  deliver  my 
soul.  Gracious  is  the  Lord,  and  righteous; 
yea,  our  God  is  merciful.  Thou  hast  delivered 
my  soul  from  death,  mine  eyes  from  tears,  and 
my  feet  from  falling."  Psalm  cxvi.  1 — 5,  8 
In  Psalm  cvii.  the  varied  trials  of  believers 
are  represented  by  a  succession  of  striking 
figures.  At  one  time  they  are  spoken  of  as 
wandering  in  the  wilderness  in  a  solitary  way, 
hungry  and  thirsty,  their  soul  fainting  within 
them ;  at  another,  as  sitting  in  darkness,  and 
in  the  shadow  of  death,  bound  with  affliction 
and  iron ;  at  another,  as  afflicted  because  of 
their  iniquities ;  and  finally,  as  surrounded 
with  the  storms  and  the  waves  of  a  tempest- 
uous ocean.  In  troubles  thus  numerous  and 
diversified,  there  is  only  one  source  of  deliver- 
ance ;  and  accordingly  each  of  the  above 
mentioned  representations  concludes  with  the 
words,  *'  Then  they  cried  unto  the  Lord  in 
their  trouble,  and  he  delivered  them  out  of 
their  distresses."  After  which,  there  follows 
the  equally  often-repeated  ascription  of  grati- 
tude :  ^'  O  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for 
his  goodness,  and  for  his  wonderful  works  to 
the  children  of  men."  All  God's  dealings  with 
his  people,  have  one  result;  they  lead  to  the 
exercise  of  praise  and  thanksgiving.  The  du- 
ties, the  trials,  the  visitations  of  prosperity  and 


166  THANKSGIVING. 

adversity,  the  hopes,  the  fears,  the  joys,  the 
sorrow^s,  the  temptations,  the  conflicts,  which 
belong  to  their  earthly  course,  all  end  in  the 
same  way.  Even  in  this  world,  sorrow  gives 
way  to  joy,  prayer  to  praise,  the  weeping  of  a 
wounded  spirit  to  the  tear  of  gratitude.  "  In 
every  thing,  give  thanks ;  for  this  is  the  will 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  concerning  you."  1 
Thess.  v.  18.  "Giving  thanks  always  for  all 
things,  unto  God  and  the  Father,  in  the  name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Eph.  v.  20.  "  We 
glory  in  tribulation  also :  knowing  that  tribu- 
lation worketh  patience ;  and  patience,  expe- 
rience; and  experience,  hope."  Rom.  v.  3,  4. 
We  shall  not  attempt  any  enumeration  of 
the  particular  blessings,  for  which  we  ought 
to  be  thankful.  In  this,  as  in  other  parts  of 
prayer,  the  topics  will  multiply  upon  our  ob- 
servation, in  proportion  to  the  frequency  with 
which  they  are  considered.  The  man  who, 
unaccustomed  to  the  exercises  of  secret  devo- 
tion, feels,  in  attempting  to  confess  his  sins 
before  his  Maker,  as  if  he  had  scarcely  any 
thing  to  confess,  is  likely,  also,  in  attempting 
to  use  the  language  of  thanksgiving,  to  feel 
as  if  he  had  but  little  for  which  to  be  grateful. 
Perhaps  it  is  for  this  reason,  that  less  atten- 
tion is  given  by  many  to  this  part  of  devotion, 
than  even  to  petition.  Upon  a  certain  occa- 
sion our  Lord  cleansed  ten  lepers  at  once,  but 
only  a  single  individual  of  the  ten,  and  he  a 
Samaritan,  returned  to  give  glory  to  God. 
Luke  xvii.  17,  18.  How  often  in  the  day  of 
trouble,  are  petitions  for  mercy  eagerly  oflfer- 


THANKSGIVING.  167 

ed  by  those  who,  when  their  affliction  is  re- 
moved, express  no  gratitude  either  by  their 
lips  or  in  their  hves !  The  offering  of  praise 
and  thanksgiving,  ought  regularly  to  form  a 
distinct  part  of  worship,  as  daily  conducted 
in  the  family  and  in  the  closet.  That  this  is 
so  commonly  omitted  by  many  who  attend 
punctually  to  the  other  parts  of  worship,  is  by 
no  means  a  favourable  sympton  of  the  pre- 
vailing temperature  of  religion,  even  among 
serious  persons.  If  the  ridicule  of  the  pro- 
fane is  usually  most  directed  against  those 
practices  which  are  most  decidedly  indicative 
of  heavenly-mindedness,  it  says  much  for  the 
importance  of  the  exercise  in  question,  that 
**  psalm-singing  hypocrite"  is  a  term  of  re- 
proach so  commonly  in  use. 

The  person  who  is  sincerely  anxious  to  ob- 
tain the  spirit  of  prayer  and  to  acquire  truly 
devotional  habits,  and  who,  moreover,  is  de- 
termined to  act  upon  the  principle  already  al- 
luded to,  of  uttering  nothing  which  he  does 
not  feel,  will  speedily  find  the  grounds  of 
thanksgiving  muhiply  around  him.  If  he  can- 
not at  first  thank  God  for  the  pardon  of  his 
sins,  because  he  fears  that  his  sins  are  still 
unforgiven,  if  he  cannot  offer  graiitude  for  the 
renovation  of  his  heart  because  he  fears  that 
his  heart  is  still  unrenewed,  if  he  cannot  ex- 
press thankfulness  for  the  hope  of  heaven,  be- 
cause that  is  a  hope  which  he  does  not  yet 
venture  to  cherish,  if  he  cannot  even  celebrate 
the  divine  goodness  and  mercy  as  displayed 
in  the  mission  and  death  of  an  incarnate  Re- 


168  THANKSGIVING. 

deemer,  because  he  feels  himself  unable  to  lay 
hold   upon   and  realize   this  truth  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  fill  his  heart  with  praise  and 
thanksgiving,  let  him  think  of  something  for 
which  he  can  be  grateful.     Let  not  the  plain- 
ness and  simplicity  with  which  we  address 
such  an  individual,  be  offensive  to  any.     Even 
supposing  your  sins  unpardoned,  your  heart 
unrenewed,  and  yourself  a  stranger  to  faith 
in  Christ,  you  have  still  many  causes  of  thank- 
fulness.    Your  situation  is  neither  good  nor 
safe,   but   it   might   have  been   unspeakably 
worse.     You  might  have  been  long  ago  sent 
to  the  place  of  endless  misery  and  despair; 
instead  of  which  you  have  been  spared,  pro- 
vided for,  have  received  the  offers  of  pardon 
and  eternal  life,  and  are  now  invited  to  ap- 
proach the  throne  of  grace  to  ask  and  receive 
all  that  is  good  for  you  here  and  hereafter. 
Have  you   indeed   nothing  for  which  to  be 
thankful  ?      Your  gratitude  is  demanded  by 
every  thing  short  of  the  full  execution  of  that 
sentence   to  which  your   sins  have  exposed 
you.     If  your  sins  are  not  pardoned,  be  thank- 
ful at  least  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  par- 
don ;    if  your  heart  is   unsanctified,   it  is   a 
mercy  for  you  that  there   is  a  fountain  of 
grace  from  which  it  can  be  sanctified;  if  you 
cannot  so  discern  Christ  as  to  receive  him  and 
rejoice  in  him,  it  is  matter  of  thankfulness  that 
he  is  still  held  out  to  your  notice,  and  that 
you  are  encouraged  to  pray  that  he  may  make 
himself  known  to  you.     Is  it  possible  that  you 
can  look  up  to  the  Father  of  your  spirit,  the 


THANKSGIVING.  169 

Framer  of  your  body,  the  Preserver  of  your 
Jife,  and  say  that  you  cannot  entertain  towards 
him  the  feeling  of  gratitude  ?  Surely  this  is 
impossible.  You  have  received  many  mer- 
cies, common  and  special,  ordinary  and  some- 
times extraordinary,  as  your  by-past  history 
testifies, — which  you  have  not  forgotten,  some 
of  which  you  cannot  forget  if  you  would,  and 
which  you  ought  not  to  overlook  in  your  se- 
cret devotions.  Well,  be  thankful  for  the  di- 
vine goodness  to  you  so  far  as  you  have  ob- 
served it,  and  cultivate  the  habit  of  observing 
it  more  carefully  for  the  time  to  come.  In 
proportion  as  you  advance  in  the  knowledge 
of  your  own  sinfulness,  will  you  see  more  of 
the  patience  and  long-suffering  with  which 
you  are  treated.  You  will  gradually  discover 
that  God  has  all  along  been  dealing  with  you 
in  kindness  and  mercy ;  and  you  will  become 
astonished  at  the  perversity  of  your  own  heart, 
which  so  long  concealed  his  goodness  from 
your  observation.  How  great  has  been  his 
kindness  to  you,  in  common  with  the  human 
race  at  large,  in  sending  his  Son  Christ  Jesus 
to  suffer  and  die  that  pardon  might  be  offered 
to  the  chief  of  sinners  !  How  much  greater 
his  goodness  to  you  than  to  thousands,  in  cast- 
ing your  lot  in  a  Christian  land,  a  land  of 
Bibles  and  Sabbaths  and  Sermons !  With 
how  many  favours,  temporal  and  spiritual, 
have  you  been  blessed,  from  your  childhood 
upwards !  From  how  many  evils  and  dan- 
gers have  you  been  protected !  And  what 
return  have  you  made  to  the  Author  of  all 

15 


370  THANKSGIVING. 

these  mercies?  Pray  that  the  Spirit  of  grace 
may  open  your  eyes  to  the  fatherly  treatment 
you  have  all  your  life  experienced,  and  to 
your  own  conduct  as  an  ungrateful  and  rebel- 
lious child.  The  subject  is  pleasing  as  well 
as  profitable  and  instructive.  As  it  is  wise 
always  to  look  at  the  bright  rather  than  the 
dark  side  of  events,  as  it  makes  the  heart  hap- 
py to  love  rather  than  to  fret  and  contend  ;  so 
it  is  not  only  an  obvious  and  most  important 
duty,  but  is  in  fact  indispensable  to  happiness, 
to  cherish,  day  by  day,  lively  gratitude  to  the 
Father  of  mercies  and  God  of  all  grace. 

No  circumstances,  however  humble  or  af- 
flictive, can  exempt  any  one  from  the  duty 
and  privilege  of  offering  thanksgiving  to  God. 
Affliction,  so  far  from  leaving  us  nothing  for 
which  to  be  thankful,  is  very  commonly  the 
means  of  making  us  aware  of  the  mercies  we 
enjoy.  It  reminds  us  of  the  value  of  some 
blessing  which  we  perhaps  received  without 
gratitude,  but  which  is  now  removed.  It 
shows  the  precarious  nature  of  that  tenure  by 
which  we  possess  all  earthly  good,  and  how 
completely  we  are  at  all  times  hi  the  power 
of  the  great  Disposer  of  events.  It  directs  our 
attention  to  the  mercy  that  is  mingled  with 
judgment,  even  in  the  bitterest  cup  that  is  put 
into  our  hands.  It  makes  us  think  of  the 
many  blessings  which  are  still  continued  with 
us.  It  leads  our  thoughts  to  those  special 
consolations  which  Christianity  affords,  con- 
solations arising  from  the  precious  truth  that 
the  severest  sufferings  are,  to  jjjiose  who  seek 


THANKSGIVING.  171 

their  sanctified  improvement,  only  blessings 
in  disguise.  Thus,  true  religion,  like  the  phi- 
losopher's stone,  turns  every  thing  into  gold ; 
and  the  heart  that  has  learned  to  love  and  to 
trust  God  in  all  circumstances,  can  never  be 
wholly  deprived  of  its  song  of  praise  and 
gratitude. 

Although  v^^e  have  recommended  that  a 
person  who  feels  himself  unable  to  appreciate 
spiritual  blessings,  or  to  enter  into  those  ex- 
pressions of  thanksgiving  which  they  call  forth 
from  the  experienced  Christian,  should  begin 
with  cherishing  gratitude  for  those  blessings 
of  which  he  does  feel  the  value,  we  would  by 
no  means  have  it  understood  that  any  one 
should  content  himself  in  this  situation.  Many 
entertain  certain  grateful  emotions  towards 
the  God  of  nature,  arising  from  the  proofs  of 
divine  goodness  with  which  they  are  every 
where  surrounded,  who  yet  overlook  and  dis- 
regard the  greatest  proof  of  that  goodness 
which  the  world  ever  beheld.  As  it  is  incom- 
parably better  that  a  merely  natural  man 
should  attempt  to  pray,  than  that  he  should 
neglect  religious  duties  entirely ;  seeing  the 
very  attempt  may,  by  convincing  him  of  his 
inabihty  to  worship  God  aright,  be  the  means 
of  leading  him  to  something  better;  so  is  it 
exceedingly  desirable  that  any  one,  however 
deficient  his  estimate  of  spiritual  blessings, 
and  however  little  he  may  have  attended  to 
their  value  and  importance,  should  be  brought 
humbly  to  acknowledge  such  instances  of  the 
kindness  of  his  Creator  as  he  has  actually  ob- 


172  THANKSGIVING. 

served.  But  let  such  a  person  be  aware  that 
he  has  much,  very  much,  to  learn ;  and  that 
it  is  his  part  to  seek  earnestly  and  persever- 
ingly  that  God  would  so  discover  to  his  soul 
the  riches  of  grace  and  the  greatness  of  his 
love  in  the  gift  of  his  Son,  as  to  cause  his 
lieart  to  overflow  with  adoring  gratitude  and 
praise.  As  sin  is  only  seen  in  its  vileness, 
when  viewed  in  relation  to  the  cross ;  as  the 
mercies  we  need  are  only  seen  in  their  value 
and  magnitude,  when  beheld  in  connection 
with  that  price  by  which  they  were  purchas- 
ed ;  so  the  blessings  of  salvation,  infinitely  rich 
and  precious  as  they  are,  will  never  awaken 
genuine  evangelical  gratitude  till  Jesus,  in  and 
with  whom  they  are  all  bestowed,  is  himself 
revealed  to  the  soul.  Even  the  common 
bounties  of  providence,  however  much  they 
may  occasionally  awaken  a  sentimental  feel- 
ing toward  the  Almighty  Preserver  of  the  uni- 
verse, will  never  produce  warm-hearted  thank- 
fulness till  the  aflfections  have  been  quickened 
by  receiving  the  testimony  of  God  concerning 
his  Son.  If  the  greatest  instance  of  divine 
goodness  is  disregarded,  how  can  we  feel 
aright  towards  those  acts  of  kindness  which 
are  inferior  and  subordinate  ?  No  gratitude 
for  any  favour  is  placed  on  a  proper  founda- 
tion, unless  it  begins  and  ends  with  that  feel- 
ing which  prompted  the  apostle  to  exclaim, 
*'  Thanks  be  unto  God  for  his  unspeakable 
gift."  2  Cor.  ix.  15.  "He  that  spared  not 
his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all, 


THANKSGIVING. 


17^ 


how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us 
all  things?"  Rom.  viii.  32. 

The  frequency  with  which  the  very  name 
of  Christ  is  repeated,  whenever  the  blessings 
of  salvation  are  spoken  of,  is  remarkable. 
From  the  manner  in  which  these  blessings  are 
related  to  him,  it  was  to  have  been  expected 
that  He  should  have  been  distinctly  exhibited 
as  the  medium  through  which  they  are  con- 
veyed. Not  only  however  is  this  truth  clearly 
and  frequently  revealed,  but  the  name  of 
Christ  is  expressly  mentioned  much  oftener 
than  was  necessary  for  this  purpose,  and  in 
such  a  way  as  to  prove  both  the  delight  which 
the  inspired  writers  have  in  repeating  it,  and 
the  importance  of  having  it  constantly  brought 
under  our  notice.  To  how  many  passages  in 
the  writings  of  the  apostle  Paul  might  we  re- 
fer, as  containing  examples  of  what  we  have 
now  stated !  When  he  gives  thanks  to  God, 
it  is  usually  expressly  mentioned  that  it  is  God 
in  the  character  of  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  his  thanks  are  offered ; 
and  not  less  emphatically  is  it  stated,  that 
through  Christ  those  blessings  are  conferred 
which  awaken  his  gratitude.  "  Blessed  be 
the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings 
in  heavenly  places,  in  Christ."  Eph.  i.  3.  It 
would  be  easy  to  quote  numerous  passages, 
showing  as  this  does,  that  thanks  are  to  be 
offered  up  for  Christ,  as  the  chief  of  all  God's 
gifts, — through  Christ,  as  the  only  way  by 
which  our  gratitude  can  be  accepted, — to  God 

15* 


174  THANKSGIVING. 

in  Christ,  as  the  character  in  which  we  have 
access  to  him, — and  by  ourselves  in  the  name 
of  Clirist,  in  virtue  of  that  new  covenant  rela- 
tion and  vital  union,  which  subsist  between 
him  and  his  people.  As  Christ  is  the  Alpha 
and  the  Omega  of  the  gospel,  so  is  he  the  be- 
ginning and  the  end  of  love,  gratitude,  and 
every  other  gracious  principle  in  the  hearts 
of  his  people.  Does  the  believer  sing  of 
pardon?  One  part  of  his  song  is  in  these 
words,  "  Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed 
us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  to  him  be 
glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen." 
Rev.  i.  5,  6.  Does  he  acknowledge  that 
grace  by  which  he  has  been  enabled  to  resist 
temptation,  to  overcome  difficulty,  to  perse- 
vere in  the  path  of  duty,  to  vanquish  spiritual 
enemies?  his  acknowledgment  is  in  such 
terms  as  the  following,  "  Now  thanks  be  unto 
God,  which  always  causeth  us  to  triumph  in 
Christ."  2  Cor.  ii.  14.  Does  he  look  for- 
ward to  the  final  struggle,  and  anticipate 
with  an  overflowing  heart  its  successful  issue  ? 
— his  gratitude  finds  utterance  in  the  excla- 
mation, "  Thanks  be  to  God  who  giveth  us 
the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
1  Cor.  XV.  57. 

If  we  take  the  scriptures  for  our  guide  in 
the  matter  of  thanksgiving,  w^e  shall  find  our- 
selves often  directed  to  make  grateful  men- 
tion of  God's  dealings  with  his  church,  both 
in  Old  and  New  Testament  times.  "  O  give 
thanks  unto  the  Lord ;  call  upon  his  name : 
.nake   known   his  deeds   among  the  people. 


THANKSGIVINGS 


175 


Remember  his  marvellous  v^^orks  that  he  hath 
done;  his  wonders,  and  the  judgments  of  his 
mouth ;  O  ye  seed  of  Abraham  his  servant, 
ye  children  of  Jacob  his  chosen.  He  hath 
remembered  his  covenant  for  ever,  the  v^ord 
which  he  commanded  to  a  thousand  gener- 
ations." Psalm  cv.  1,  5,  6,  8.  This  sen- 
timent pervades  a  large  proportion  of  those 
sacred  songs  which  were  originally  prepared 
for  the  Jews,  but  which  are  equally  suitable 
for  the  gospel  church ;  and  is  sometimes  ex- 
pressed in  language  glowing  with  rich  im- 
agery. "  Thou  hast  brought  a  vine  out  of 
Ea^ypt;  thou  hast  cast  out  the  heathen  and 
planted  it.  Thou  preparedst  room  before  it, 
and  didst  cause  it  to  take  deep  root,  and  it 
filled  the  land.  The  hills  were  covered  with 
the  shadow  of  it;  and  the  boughs  thereof 
were  like  the  goodly  cedars."  Psalm  Ixxx. 
8 — 10.  And  that  the  praise  of  all  this  is  due 
to  God,  is  an  idea  of  which  we  are  never 
suffered  to  lose  sight.  "  For  they  got  not  the 
land  in  possession  by  their  own  sword,  neither 
did  their  own  arm  save  them  ;  but  thy  right 
hand,  and  thine  arm,  and  the  light  of  thy 
countenance,  because  thou  hadst  a  favour 
unto  them."  Psalm  xliv.  3.  Viewed  as  a 
most  important  event  in  the  history  of  God's 
dealings  with  the  church,  the  incarnation  of 
his  Son  at  the  fulness  of  time,  must  never  be 
either  forgotten  or  overlooked.  When  that 
wonderful  event  took  place,  it  awakened  the 
praise  and  gratitude  even  of  the  heavenly 
hosts,  who  gave  expression  to  their  feelings 


176  THANKSGIVING. 

in  the  exclamation,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest."  The  whole  history  of  our  Lord, 
whilst  it  contains  much  that  is  fitted  to  reprove 
and  humble  us,  furnishes  unceasing  materials 
of  gratitude.  His  instructions  so  pure  and 
heavenly,  his  example  so  perfectly  faultless, 
his  motives  and  principles  so  noble  and  unsel- 
fish, his  heart  so  warm,  so  tender,  and  faithful, 
his  amazing  condescenscion,  his  unparalleled 
death,  his  glorious  resurrection  from  the  grave 
and  ascension  to  heaven,  his  revelation  and 
promise  of  eternal  life  ;  these  are  topics  which 
no  degree  of  familiarity  can  prevent  the  per- 
son, who  has  been  delivered  from  that  spirit- 
ual blindness  with  which  all  are  naturally 
affected,  from  constantly  recurring  to  with 
fresh  gratitude.  And  when  we  think  of  the 
encouragement  arising  not  only  from  the 
perfection  and  all-sufficiency  of  his  atonement, 
but  also  from  the  assurance  that  he  is  now 
acting  the  part  of  an  Advocate  with  the 
Father  in  behalf  of  his  people,  we  can  be  at 
no  loss  to  understand  how  true  Christians 
should  be  described  as  persons  who  ^'  worship 
God  in  the  Spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus." 
His  government  of  the  church  and  of  the 
world,  is  also  ground  of  praise  and  gratitude  ; 
for,  however  dark  the  prospect  that  may  im- 
mediately present  itself,  and  however  discour- 
aging the  circumstances  amid  which  our  lot 
may  be  cast,  we  must  never  cease  to  be 
thankful  that  Jesus  reigns.  And  we  know 
that,  when  fully  understood,  the  whole  system 
of  God's  dealings  wdth  his  church,  from  first 


THANKSGIVING.  177 

to  last,  shall  produce  one  universal  song  of 
praise  :  "  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works, 
Lord  God  Almighty  ;  just  and  true  are  thy 
ways,  thou  King  of  Saints."     Rev.  xv.  3. 

As  there  are  particular  events  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  church  which  are  ever  to  be  re- 
membered with  gratitude,  so  there  are  events 
in  the  lives  of  individuals  which  ought  never 
to  be  forgotten.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  one 
to  attend  to  the  various  dealings  of  Divine 
providence  with  himself,  and  to  keep  in  care- 
ful remembrance  those  cases  in  which  he  has 
experienced  deliverance  from  trouble,  or  the 
bestowment  of  good.  It  was  said  to  the  peo- 
ple of  Israel  of  old,  "  Thou  shalt  remember 
all  the  way  by  which  the  Lord  thy  God  led 
thee  these  forty  years  in  the  wilderness." 
From  time  to  time  the  Christian  is  called  to 
mark  the  goodness  of  God  in  visiting  him  in 
the  season  of  distress,  or  in  delivering  him 
from  some  dreaded  calamity,  or  in  setting 
him  free  from  spiritual  fears  and  disquietudes, 
or  in  conferring  upon  him  some  unexpected 
blessing,  or  in  some  remarkable  manner 
granting  an  answer  to  his  prayers.  Amid  his 
frequent  encounters  w4th  difficulty  and  danger, 
he  is  led  at  one  period  after  another  to  erect 
his  Ebenezer,  and  to  say,  "  Hitherto  hath  the 
Lord  helped  me."  These  successive  instances 
of  the  divine  goodness  ought  to  be  regularly 
reviewed,  as  grounds  of  thankfulness  for  the 
past,  and  of  hope  for  the  future.  Thus,  as  the 
believer  advances  on  his  course,  he  will  find 
himself  more  and  more   encompassed   with 


178  THANKSGIVING. 

songs  of  deliverance,  and  even  in  the  hour  of 
darkness  and  affliction  he  will  find  comfort 
by  saying  with  Asaph : — "  I  will  remember 
the  years  of  the  right  hand  of  the  most  High. 
I  will  remember  the  works  of  the  Lord : 
surely  I  will  remember  thy  doings  of  old.  I 
will  meditate  also  of  all  thy  work,  and  talk 
of  thy  doings."    Psalm  Ixxvii.  10 — 12. 

As  it  is  proper  in  offering  our  daily  peti- 
tions, to  have  an  eye  to  certain  blessings  which 
we  more  immediately  need ;  so  in  offering 
those  thanksgivings  which  ought  regularly  to 
form  part  of  our  devotions,  we  should  take 
care  to  fix  our  minds  on  those  circumstances 
which  at  present  specially  demand  our  grati- 
tude. This  will  tend  to  give  life  and  energy 
to  our  worship,  and  will  prepare  us  to  enter 
into  the  meaning  of  those  acknowledgments 
which  we  utter.  If  at  any  time  the  heart  is 
cold  or  lukewarm  in  confessing  sin,  or  in  ask- 
ing grace  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  day,  it 
may  perhaps  be  revived  by  the  attempt  to  offer 
gratitude  for  the  mercies  that  have  been  re- 
ceived. Not  only  is  this  exercise  fitted  in  its 
very  nature  to  quicken  the  attention,  and  en- 
liven the  feelings,  but  it  naturally  suggests 
materials  both  of  confession  and  petition. 
Thus,  even  in  our  worst  frames,  when  we  can 
neither  bewail  our  sins  nor  feel  sensible  of  our 
wants,  let  us  think  of  that  goodness  to  which 
we  have  been  already  so  deeply  indebted.  If 
some  of  those  special  grounds  of  thanksgiving 
which  we  ought  never  to  forget,  fail  to  awaken 
the  soul  to  lively  gratitude,  let  us  think  of 


THANKSGIVING.  179 

others.  As  a  person  who  is  under  the  teach- 
ing of  the  Spirit  may  expect  to  have  con- 
tinually new  grounds  of  thankfulness,  both 
from  the  increasing  discoveries  which  are 
made  to  his  soul  of  the  divine  character  and 
operations  as  revealed  in  the  scriptures,  and 
from  his  daily  experience  of  the  divine  good- 
ness to  himself,  he  will  act  wisely  in  preserv- 
ing some  memorial  of  those  things  for  which, 
from  day  to  day,  he  feels  that  his  gratitude  is 
due.  Nor  ought  any  one  to  rest  satisfied  till 
he  is  enabled,  in  some  measure  at  least,  to  en- 
tertain the  sentiment  of  the  Psalmist,  when  he 
says,  "  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord  as  long  as  I 
live;  I  will  give  praise  to  my  God  w^hile  I 
have  my  being."     Psalm  civ.  33. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


SELF-DEDICATION. 


That  self-dedication  is  a  duty  devolving  on 
every  professing  christian,  and  actually  prac- 
tised by  every  real  christian,  is  a  truth  which 
no  one  holding  evangelical  sentiments  will 
deny.  Many  of  the  promises  of  the  gospel 
are  expressed  in  the  form  of  an  offer  on  the 
part  of  God,  to  enter  into  a  covenant  alliance 
with  the  returning  sinner :  "  Incline  your  ear 
and  come  unto  me,  hear  and  your  soul  shall 
live ;  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant 
with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David." 
Isaiah  Iv.  3.  In  making  this  proposal,  the 
great  Jehovah  offers  to  be  a  Friend,  a  Father, 
a  God,  to  those  by  whom  it  is  accepted ; 
whilst  they  in  closing  with  the  offer,  engage 
to  be  his  servants,  his  children,  his  people. 
By  thus  entering  into  covenant  with  God,  they 
acknowledge  that  they  are  no  longer  their 
own  property,  that  their  own  will  is  no  longer 
to  be  the  rule  of  their  actions,  that  their  own 
happiness  is  no  longer  to  be  the  chief  object 
of  their  desires  and  labours,  that  their  persons, 
their  talents,  their  time,  their  influence,  their 
worldly  possessions, — all  they  are  and  all  they 
have, — are  the  Lord's.  The  apostle  Paul  states 
one  of  the  objects  for  which  Christ  died  to  be, 
*'  that  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth 
180 


SELF-DEDICATION.  181 

live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  Him  which  died 
for  them  and  rose  again."    2  Cor.  v.  15.    The 
same  important    truth  is  frequently,  and  in 
various  forms,  brought  under  our  notice.     It 
is  not  a  matter  to  be  found  merely  in  a  few 
indirect  allusions ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  a  topic 
which  is  very  frequently  brought  under  our 
notice,  and  that  in  the  plainest  and  clearest 
statements,  and  upon  which  the  sacred  writers 
seem  to  have  pleasure  in  dwelling.     "  Ye  are 
not  your  own,  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price : 
therefore  glorify  God  in   your  body,  and  in 
vour  spirit,  which  are  God's."     1  Cor.  vi.  19, 
20.     "None  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  no 
man  dieth  to  himself.     For  whether  we  live, 
we  live  unto  the  Lord ;  and  whether  we  die, 
we  die  unto  the  Lord;  whether  therefore  we 
live,  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's."  Rom.  xiv.  7,  8. 
We  might,  therefore,  expect  to  find  chris- 
tians described  in  the  beginning  of  their  reli- 
gious course,  as  giving  themselves  to  God,  or 
entering  into  covenant  with  him  ;  and  such,  in 
fact,  is  the  manner  in  which  they  are  describ- 
ed.    In  speaking  of  the  churches  of  Macedo- 
nia,  Paul  says,  "  they  first  gave   their  own 
selves  to  the  Lord."    2  Cor.  viii.  5.     This,  in- 
deed, is  the  first  duty  of  the  sinner  upon  hear- 
ing the  gospel  ofier.     He  must  first  give  him- 
self to  the  Lord,  before  any  religious  service 
of  his  can  be  accepted.     It  is  also  the  first 
duty  of  the  christian  in   whatever   circum- 
stances he  is  placed.     Has  he  services  to  per- 
form, afflictions  to  bear,  or  difficulties  to  over- 
come 1  Let  him  first  give  himself  to  the  Lord, 

16 


182  SELF-DEDICATION. 

as  the  best  preparation  for  whatever  is  before 
him.  Does  he  wait  on  the  ordinances  and 
look  for  a  blessing  on  them  ?  Does  he  wish 
by  giving,  Uke  the  Macedonians,  to  the  pooi, 
or  contributing  to  the  maintenance  of  the  gos- 
pel at  home  or  abroad,  to  present  an  offering 
to  God  of  his  worldly  substance  ?  His  inten- 
tions are  good;  by  all  means  let  him  be  en- 
couraged to  carry  them  into  effect,  but  he 
must  begin  by  first  giving  his  own  self  to  the 
Lord. 

Although  the  propriety  of  self-dedication  in 
general  will  not  be  disputed  among  serious 
persons,  there  are  many  who  may  not  be 
prepared  to  hear  that  it  ought  regularly  to 
form  a  part  of  their  secret  devotions.  They 
understand  that  vows  are  undertaken  in  bap- 
tim,  and  that  these  vows  are  renewed  every 
time  they  approach  the  Lord's  table  ;  they 
are  not  unwilling  to  admit  that,  on  some  extra- 
ordinary occasions,  it  is  fitting  they  should 
renew  their  covenant  with  God  in  secret ; — 
but  that  this  should  be  done  daily,  or  even 
frequently,  is  more  than  they  have  been  ac- 
customed to  suppose.  It  might  tend  to  give 
more  correct  views  of  this  subject,  were  pro- 
fessing christians  generally  to  reflect,  that  the 
covenant  relation  between  God  and  his  peo- 
ple is  recognized  in  every  act  of  worship, 
whether  public  or  private.  This  relation  is 
in  fact  recognized  by  God  himself,  in  all  the 
invitations  and  promises  of  the  gospel.  When 
sinners  are  addressed,  they  are  regarded  as 
in  a  state  of  alienation  and  enmitv,  in  conse- 


SELF-DEDICATION.  183 

quence  of  which  all  friendly  intercourse  be- 
tween them  and  their  Maker  has  been  broken 
otl';  but  they  are  earnestly  invited  to  conme 
and  reason  with  him,  and  for  their  encour- 
agement it  is  said  to  them,  "  Come  out,  and 
be  ye  separate,  and  I  will  receive  you,  and 
will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Al- 
mighty." 2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18.  Unless  his 
approaches  to  God  are  intended  to  imply  ac- 
ceptance of  this  invitation,  the  sinner  only 
increases  his  guilt  by  professing  to  offer 
divine  worship ;  for,  as  he  neither  relies  on 
the  promises  nor  closes  with  the  overtures  of 
the  gospel,  he  comes  not  in  that  way  by 
w^hich  alone  he  can  be  accepted.  To  draw 
near  to  God,  therefore,  in  the  only  acceptable 
way,  implies  the  entering  into  covenant  with 
him.  If  it  be  objected  that,  although  the 
sinner  in  first  returning  to  God,  enters  into 
covenant,  it  is  otherwise  with  persons  who 
are  already  returned,  and  have  already  sur- 
rendered themselves  to  his  service ;  we  ans- 
w^er  that  every  fresh  application  to  the  throne 
of  grace,  implies  a  renewal  of  their  covenant 
engagement.  In  coming  to  their  heavenly 
Father  for  whatever  blessing,  they  necessarily 
recognize  that  covenant  relation  by  which  he 
has  become  their  father,  and  they  have  be- 
come entitled  to  the  privileges  of  his  children. 
And  as  the  privileges  of  this  relationship 
cannot  be  senarated  from  its  duties,  everv 
action   by   which   it   is   recognized    implies 


184  SELF-DEDICATION. 

a   renewed   surrender  of  thennselves   to  his 
service. 

This  will  appear  still  nnore  clearly  if  we 
attend  a  little  to  the  various  parts  of  prayer, 
as  bearing  upon  the  subject  of  self-dedication. 
Is  adoration  offered  to  God?  It  is  in  his 
covenant  character  alone,  that  he  can  be  re- 
garded by  the  sinner  who  acceptably  presents 
it.  Moreover,  in  adoring  the  divine  perfec- 
tions, the  worshipper  acknowledges  the  abso- 
lute right  which  God  possesses  to  the  love, 
worship,  and  obedience  of  all  his  rationa' 
offspring,  and  by  this  very  acknowledgment 
he  virtually  consecrates  himself  to  the  service 
of  his  Maker.  Every  ascription  of  praise 
and  glory  to  the  great  Jehovah,  is  an  admis- 
sion that  we  are  bound,  whether  we  eat  or 
drink,  or  whatsoever  we  do,  to  do  all  to  his 
glory.  Is  sin  confessed  in  the  presence  of  the 
Searcher  of  hearts  ?  The  confession,  if  it 
means  any  thing,  includes  at  once  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  our  obligation  to  do  not 
our  own  will,  but  the  will  of  God,  an  express- 
ion of  sorrow  for  having  acted  inconsistently 
with  this  obligation,  and  a  promise  of  amend- 
ment for  the  future.  Are  blessings  asked  by 
petition  to  the  Hearer  of  prayer?  These 
blessings  are  conveyed  only  through  Christ ; 
and  therefore  the  very  exercise  of  asking 
them  supposes  the  acceptance  of  him  as  our 
only  Saviour,  and  an  acquiescence  in  all  the 
terms  of  the  gospel,  including  an  entire  sur- 
render of  our  hearts  and  lives  to  his  service. 
To  the  same  conclusion  are  we  conducted,  by 


SELF-DEDICATION.  186 

adverting  to  the  nature  of  those  blessings 
which  the  true  christian  is  accustomed  to  ask. 
We  cannot  pray  for  pardon,  without  coming 
under  an  obHgation  to  refrain  from  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  oftence  ;  we  cannot  ask  hoHness  in 
sincerity,  without  an  honest  and  steadfast 
resolution  to  avoid  all  unholiness  in  thought, 
word,  and  deed ;  we  cannot  ask  protection 
from  temptation  without  engaging,  implicitly 
if  not  in  express  words,  that  we  shall  care- 
fully avoid  every  approach  to  temptation,  and 
every  appearance  of  evil ;  we  cannot  entreat 
strength  for  the  performance  of  duty,  without 
promising  that  in  the  enjoyment  of  that 
strength  our  duty  shall  be  performed  ;  in  one 
w^ord,  we  cannot  pray  for  any  blessing  with- 
out virtually  covenanting  to  use  all  the  means 
that  may  be  required  for  obtaining  that 
blessing.  Do  we  pray  for  faith,  or  love,  or 
humility?  These  graces  cannot  have  any 
value  in  our  eyes,  unless  it  is  our  desire  to 
live  not  to  ourselves  but  to  God,  and  unless 
we  are  prepared  to  enter  into  the  feelings  of 
the  apostle  when  he  says,  "  I  am  crucified 
with  Christ,  nevertheless  I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me  :  and  the  life  which  I 
now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself 
for  me."  Gal.  ii.  20.  The  same  remarks 
will  apply  to  the  exercise  of  thanksgiving. 
Does  the  Christian  acknowledge  with  grati- 
tude the  mercies  which  he  daily  receives,  his 
temporal  comforts,  his  spiritual  privileges,  his 
blessed    hopes?      The   acknowledgment  of 

16* 


186  SELF-DEDICATION. 

God's  goodness  is  the  acknowledgment  of 
his  own  obligations.  How  can  he  be  thank- 
ful for  blessings  received,  without  resolving 
to  manifest  his  gratitude  by  his  conduct  ?  So 
close  is  the  connection  between  the  feeling 
of  thankfulness  and  the  exercise  of  covenant- 
ing, that  we  find  the  injunction  given,  "  Offer 
unto  God  thanksgiving,  and  pay  thy  vows 
unto  the  Most  High."     Psalm  1.  14, 

It  thus  appears  that  every  act  of  religious 
worship  implies  the  principle  of  self-dedica- 
tion—  that  every  prayer,  every  confession, 
every  song  of  praise  and  thanksgiving,  is  the 
sign  and  pledge  of  solemn  covenant  engage- 
ment. Is  any  one  afraid  of  the  idea  of  daily 
renewing  his  covenant  with  God,  on  the 
ground  that  the  guilt  of  his  daily  transgres- 
sions might  thereby  be  increased  ?  The  ob- 
jection is  not  a  solid  one,  and  if  really  acted 
on,  should  beget  a  suspicion  in  the  bosom  by 
which  it  is  entertained,  that  there  is  still  a 
lurking  attachment  to  sin,  and  a  secret  un- 
willingness to  guard  against  its  approaches. 
Besides,  this  objection,  if  good  for  any  thing, 
might,  with  equal  propriety,  be  urged  against 
every  kind  of  religious  exercise  whatever. 
Sins  committed  after  devotional  exercises 
have  been  engaged  in,  are  unquestionably  all 
the  more  aggravated  by  the  profession  which 
these  exercises  exhibit ;  but  to  argue  that  on 
this  account  it  would  be  safer  to  abandon 
devotion  entirely,  is  to  say,  that  because  a 
remedy  for  some  deadly  evil  may,  by  being 
misapplied  and  perverted,  become  productive 


SELF-DEDICATION.  187 

of  injury,  it  should  therefore  be  disregarded, 
however  excellent  and  suitable  in  itself.  But 
as  no  argunrient  of  this  kind  will  be  ennployed 
against  the  duties  of  religion,  except  by  those 
who  aim  to  overturn  the  foundations  of  reli- 
gion itself — a  class  of  persons  whom  we  do 
not  now  address — it  may  be  sufficient  for  our 
present  purpose  to  show,  that  those  who  re- 
frain from  daily  repeating  the  dedication  of 
themselves  to  the  Lord  from  the  fear  of  ag- 
gravating their  daily  offences,  proceed  upon  a 
principle  from  the  full  apphcation  of  which 
they  would  themselves  shrink  with  alarm. 
Far  safer  and  more  consistent  with  his  duty, 
is  it  for  the  christian  to  make  the  inconsist- 
ency between  personal  covenanting  and  liv- 
ing in  sin,  the  basis  of  an  argument  which 
will  conduct  him  to  the  opposite  conclusion. 
Let  him  daily  give  himself  anew  to  the  Lord, 
in  order,  among  other  reasons,  that  he  may 
be  reminded  of  his  obligation  to  greater 
watchfulness  against  sin. 

A  similar  reply  may  be  made  to  another 
objection  to  frequent  self-dedication,  namely, 
that  it  is  calculated  to  encourage  a  legal  spi- 
rit. Like  every  other  duty,  it  may  be  substi- 
tuted in  the  place  of  Christ,  instead  of  being 
used  as  a  means  of  leading  us  to  Christ ;  and 
may  be  employed  to  work  out  a  righteousness 
of  our  own,  instead  of  that  righteousness  of 
God  which  is  made  over  to  us  when  we  truly 
enter  into  covenant  with  him.  But  like  the 
former  objection,  this,  if  it  proves  any  thing, 
proves  too  much.     It  is  not  so  much  an  argu- 


188  SELF-DEDIDATION. 

ment   against  daily  covenanting   as   against 
covenanting  itself;  and  it  is  an  argument  not 
against  covenanting  naerely,  but  against  every 
kind  of  religious  duty;  for  all  devotional  ex- 
ercises, and  even  external  acts  of  obedience, 
are  liable  to  the  same  abuse.     Although,  how- 
ever, without  weight  as   an  objection,  it  sug- 
gests to  us  an  important  practical  hint  as  to 
the  manner  in  which  this  duty  should  be  per- 
formed.    In  giving  ourselves  to  the  Lord,  we 
first,  accept  of  Him  as  our  covenant  God  and 
Father,  through  Christ  Jesus ;  secondly,  we 
receive  Christ  with  his  perfect  righteousness 
to  justify  us,  and  all  the  blessings  of  his  salva- 
tion to   satisfy   our   every  want ;  thirdly,  we 
declare  our  rehance  on  the  teaching,  the  illu- 
mination, the  sanctification,  the  strength,  the 
grace,  of  the   Holy  Spirit,  to  whose   blessed 
agency  we  look  for  the  implanting  and  pre- 
serving in  our  souls  of  every  holy  desire  and 
purpose ;  fourthly,  we  declare  ourselves  the 
property  of  God,  and  acknowledge  his  right 
to  do  with  us,  and  to  require  of  us,  what  he 
pleases,  to   give   us   health  or   sickness,  pros- 
perity or  adversity,  to  make  our  days  on  earth 
longer  or  shorter,  and  to  place  us  in  stations 
of  prominence  or  obscurity,   as    may   seem 
good  to  himself;  fifthly,  we  promise  and  en- 
gage to  do  or  to  suffer  whatever  He  may  re- 
quire, to  take  his  law  for  the  rule  of  our  ac- 
tions, to  resist  sin  and  all  its  temptations,  to 
perform  with  fidelity  and  constancy  the  duties 
of  those  stations  in  which  we  are  placed,  to 
adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  by 


SELF-DEDICATION.  189 

walking  in  all  his  commandments  and  ordi- 
nances blamelessly,  and  all  this  in  the  strength 
of  that  rich  and  plenteous  grace  which,  on 
his  part  of  the  covenant,  God  engages  to  be- 
stow. 

Now,  there  are  various  cases  in  which  a 
legal  spirit  connects  itself  with  the  exercise 
of  covenanting.  First,  when  the  exercise 
consists  merely  of  a  promise  to  perform  cer- 
tain duties.  In  this  case  the  most  important 
part  of  the  work  is  left  undone.  The  cove- 
nant transaction  which  we  have  just  described, 
includes  the  embracing  of  Christ,  and  the  re- 
ceiving through  him  of  strength  to  perform 
duty,  as  well  as  an  engagement  that  the  duty 
shall  be  performed.  The  error  here,  there- 
fore, lies  in  covenanting  being  made  simply  a 
work  of  promising,  instead  of  being  at  the 
same  time  a  work  of  receiving.  Secondly, 
as  an  evangelical  spirit  opens  the  heart, 
whilst  a  legal  spirit  is  narrow  and  niggardly, 
the  latter  principle  may  be  detected  in  its 
leading  the  individual  to  engage,  and  even  to 
practise,  great  exactness  in  certain  duties  or 
observances,  whilst  others  of  equal  or  greater 
importance  are  overlooked.  That  covenant- 
ing which  is  consistent  with  evangelical  sen- 
timents, embraces  an  engagement  to  perform 
all  duty  and  to  avoid  all  sin,  so  far  as  they 
are  known ;  and  this  engagement  has  special 
reference  to  those  duties  which  are  most  im- 
portant, or  which  are  most  in  danger  of  being 
neglected,  and  to  those  sins  which  are  most 
aggravated,  or  to  which  the  temptation  is 


190  SELF-DEDICATION. 

most  powerful.  Thirdly,  a  legal  spirit  leads 
the  mind  to  rest  in  the  covenant  transaction, 
as  in  itself  good  and  meritorious,  and  there- 
fore acceptable  to  God ;  whereas,  this  exer- 
cise, if  properly  engaged  in,  not  only  includes 
the  acknowledgment  that  we  are  guilty,  hell- 
deserving  sinners,  and  that  our  only  hope  of 
safety  lies  in  the  riches  of  free  grace ;  but  it 
distinctly  proceeds  upon  the  supposition,  that 
we  can  truly  and  honestly  give  ourselves  to 
God,  and  promise  to  serve  him,  only  in  so  far 
as  we  are  enabled  by  his  Spirit  so  to  do. 
Fourthly,  the  advantage  of  personal  cove- 
nanting may  also  be  defeated  by  the  same 
legal  spirit  leading  us  to  trust,  if  not  in  the  in- 
herent merit  of  the  transaction,  at  least  in  the 
excellence  and  acceptableness  of  those  duties 
which  are  engaged  to  be  performed.  If,  how- 
ever, there  is  a  real  surrender  of  the  heart  to 
God,  there  will  also  be  a  very  deep  feeling  of 
the  utter  worthlessness  of  our  performances 
as  well  as  our  promises,  and  of  our  absolute 
dependence  upon  God  for  that  strength  which 
is  required  by  the  one  as  well  as  by  the  other. 
In  these  and  similar  ways,  may  that  spirit 
be  discovered,  the  danger  of  encouraging 
which,  has  been  considered  an  objection  to  the 
exercise  we  wish  to  recommend.  And  now 
we  may  be  permitted  to  add,  that  even  in 
those  cases  where  the  attempt  to  dedicate  one's 
self  to  God  is  afterwards  discovered 'to  have 
been  made  in  his  own  strength,  and  conse- 
quently in  a  manner  neither  properly  accept- 
able to  God  nor  calculated  to  yield  direct 


SELF-DEDICATION.  191 

benefit  to  himself;  this  very  attempt  may,  in- 
directly, be  productive  of  advantage.  It  is 
easy  to  conceive  of  an  individual  who  has 
some  sincere  and  honest  desire  after  a  truly 
religious  life,  but  who  has  not  yet  learned  the 
deceitfulness  of  his  own  heart,  nor  his  absolute 
need  of  divine  grace, — as  well  for  the  daily 
regulation  of  his  thoughts  and  temper,  and  the 
right  performance  of  every  religious  exercise 
and  moral  duty, — as  for  the  justification  of  his 
person  and  the  general  renovation  of  his  char- 
acter. Such  a  person  having  heard  that  self- 
dedication  is  a  duty,  resolves  to  give  himself 
in  covenant  to  God.  He  accordingly  engages 
in  a  transaction  of  this  nature,  and  in  solemn 
prayer  makes  a  surrender  of  himself  to  the 
Lord,  promising  that  in  all  time  coming  he 
will  consider  himself  as  no  longer  his  own, 
and  that  he  will  take  the  divine  law  as  the 
rule  of  his  thoughts,  desires,  purposes,  and  ac- 
tions. This  exercise  produces  by  its  solemnity 
a  deep  impression  upon  his  mind  at  the  time ; 
and  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period  he  is  watch- 
ful over  himself,  and  endeavours  to  guard  on 
all  sides  against  temptations  to  sin.  In  the 
course  of  a  few  days  or  weeks,  however,  he 
begins  to  feel  the  restraint  irksome ;  the  plea- 
sures of  sin  appear  increasingly  inviting,  and, 
the  fervour  of  his  devotion  having  worn  oflT, 
spiritual  objects  lose  their  charms,  and  reli- 
gious exercises  become  uninteresting  and  re- 
pulsive. His  corrupt  propensities  and  habits 
return  with  all  their  former  power,  the  temp- 
tations which  formerly  led  him  astray  rest  me 


192  SELF-DEDICATION. 

their  ascendency,  his  resolutions  and  vows  are 
forgotten,  and  his  goodness  disapj^ears  like  the 
morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew.  All  this 
seems  very  disastrous.  He  is  as  far  as  ever 
from  being  truly  devoted  to  God,  and  to  all 
his  other  offences  he  has  now  added  the  guilt 
of  covenant-breaking.  There  is,  however,  one 
advantage  which  may  indirectly  result  from 
all  these  evils ;  and  happy  will  it  be  for  an 
individual  in  the  circumstances  we  have  de- 
scribed, should  he  be  directed  to  seek  and  to 
find  it.  He  has  been  taught  how  easy  it  is  for 
a  person  to  deceive  himself,  by  believing  that 
he  has  given  his  heart  to  God,  when  in  reality 
he  has  only  been  practising  an  act  of  self- 
righteousness  ;  he  has  been  shown  the  strength 
of  his  sinful  propensities,  and  the  extreme 
feebleness  of  his  good  resolutions  ;  he  has  pro- 
vided himself  with  a  most  convincing  proof 
of  the  worthlessness  of  all  human  promises  and 
performances,  as  a  means  of  satisfying  the  de- 
mands of  God's  law  and  justice ;  and  he  has 
been  taught  a  most  salutary  lesson  as  to  the 
indispensable  necessity  of  divine  grace,  in  all 
we  do  and  in  all  we  purpose.  In  the  exercise 
of  that  contrition,  self-abasement,  and  simple- 
hearted  reliance  upon  the  strength  and  teach- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  those  lessons,  if 
deeply  pondered,  are  fitted  to  produce,  let  him 
again  approach  the  throne  of  grace  ;  and  once 
more,  as  a  returning  prodigal,  let  him  ofier 
himself  to  that  God  who  delighteth  to  y^ardon, 
and  who  is  still  saying  to  him,  "  Come,  now, 
and  let  us  reason  together,  though  your  sins 


SELF-DEDICATION.  193 

be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow." 
One  great  and  never-failing  source  of  comfort 
remains  to  him ;  he  is  still  invited  to  come  as 
a  sinner  to  ask  and  receive.  His  disappoint- 
ment has  arisen  from  his  inabihty  to  change 
his  own  heart,  which  he  had  vainly  imao^ined 
that  his  attempts  at  self-dedication  would  en- 
able him  to  do.  This  is  God's  work,  and  in 
nothing  are  we  more  encouraged  to  approach 
the  throne  of  grace  than  with  the  daily  and 
constant  prayer  that  he  would  give  us  hearts 
dev^oted  to  his  service. 

It  was  the  practice  of  the  excellent  Dr. 
Doddridge,  to  make  the  renovation  of  his  co- 
venant with  God  a  part  of  his  regular  devo- 
tions every  morning.  When  the  manifold 
labours  of  this  excellent  minister  of  Christ  are 
considered,  it  will  appear  that  want  of  time 
can  never  be  pled  as  a  satisfactory  apology 
for  omitting  this  or  any  other  religious  exer- 
cise ;  indeed  it  cannot  be  questioned  that  one 
reason  why  he  accomphshed  so  much,  and 
seemed  from  day  to  day  scarcely  ever  to  lose 
a  moment  of  time,  is  to  be  found  in  the  cir- 
cumstance we  have  now  mentioned.  It  can- 
not be  denied  that  where  the  heart  is  most  de- 
voted to  God,  there  will  be  the  most  activity 
in  all  that  is  good;  and  when  we  consider 
how  much  time  is  wasted  in  idleness,  or  at 
best  only  half  employed,  even  by  serious  per- 
sons, it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  advantage 
arising  from  more  entii'e  devotedness  on  the 
part  of  professing  Christians  generally,  would 
be  unspeakably  great.   In  the  absence  of  those 

17 


194  SELF-DEDICATION. 

motives  to  activity  which  arise  from  the  love 
of  wealth,  of  power,  or  of  distinction,  chris- 
tians are  in  constant  danger  of  becoming 
slothful  and  indolent,  or  of  giving  way  to  dif- 
ficulties and  discouragements,  unless  they  are 
continually  supplied  with  energy  from  the 
fountain  of  life.  And  certainly  one  important 
means  of  obtaining  this  supply,  consists  in 
daily  giving  ourselves  anew  to  the  Lord.  "I 
beseech  you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mer- 
cies of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  liv- 
ing sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which 
i^  your  reasonable  service."     Rom.  xii.  1. 

The  importance  of  daily  renewing  his  cove- 
nant with  God  on  the  part  of  the  christian, 
might  be  shown  on  grounds  very  similar  to 
those  on  which  the  necessity  of  daily  prayer 
can  be  demonstrated.  As  it  is  not  enough 
that  we  on  one  occasion  pray  to  God,  but 
must  approach  him  in  prayer  daily ;  so  it  is 
not  enough  that  on  one,  or  a  few  occasions, 
we  give  ourselves  to  him  in  covenant.  Faith, 
love,  penitence,  are  not  principles  which  are 
to  be  entertained  once  and  afterwards  forgot- 
ten ;  they  must  have  an  abiding  place  in  the 
heart,  and  from  day  to  day  must  be  called  in- 
to exercise.  Such  is  the  appointment  of  God, 
who  knows  infinitely  better  than  we,  how  it  is 
most  for  our  own  advantage  and  for  his  glory, 
to  train  us  for  a  better  state  of  being.  The 
fountain  of  grace  is  provided,  not  in  us,  but 
in  Jesus  our  covenant  head ;  and  all  that  we 
are  promised  is  a  daily  supply,  suited  to  our 
daily  wants.     It  is  not  enough  that  the  heart 


SELF-DEDICATION.  195 

j» 

be  once  given  to  God ;  when  this  has  really- 
been  done  it  is  a  great  attainment ;  but  it 
must  again  and  again  be  surrendered  in  re- 
newed acts  of  self-dedication,  in  order  to  the 
maintenance  of  any  thing  like  fidelity  and 
steadfastness  in  his  service.  A  daily  recog- 
nition of  our  relationship  to  Christ,  is  full  of 
comfort  and  encouragement,  and  is  at  the 
same  time  invaluable  as  a  means  of  sanctifi- 
cation.  How  precious  the  privilege  of  being 
able  in  all  difficulties  and  dangers,  to  speak 
of  the  great  Jehovah  in  the  language  of  Paul, 
— "  God,  whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  serve  !" 
Acts  xxvii.  23.  How  powerful  the  argument, 
in  applying  for  deliverance  from  evil  of  what- 
ever kind,  employed  by  the  psalmist, — "  I  am 
thine,  save  me."  Psa.  cxix.  94. 

Should  the  eye  of  any  one  pass  over  these 
pages,  who  has  never  yet  truly  given  himself 
to  God,  let  us  in  the  conclusion  of  this  chap- 
ter address  a  few  words  to  such  an  individ- 
ual. God  requires  your  heart,  and  it  is  not 
more  your  duty  than  your  interest  to  comply 
with  this  command.  The  great  God  of  hea- 
ven and  earth  is  offering  to  enter  into  cove- 
nant with  you ;  he  offers  to  preserve,  protect, 
provide  for  you,  save  you  from  all  evil,  and 
confer  upon  you  everlasting  joy  in  the  world 
to  come.  Will  you  not  accept  of  the  offer? 
Have  you  indeed  made  up  your  mind,  that 
the  body  is  more  valuable  than  the  soul,  that 
things  temporal  are  more  considerable  than 
things  eternal,  that  the  service  of  Satan  is 
safer  and  more  pleasant  than  the  service  of 


196  SELF-DEDICATION. 

God  ?  If  you  have  not  decided  on  this,  then 
choose  this  day  whom  you  will  serve.  Let 
not  your  heart  fly  off  from  the  question,  and 
leave  it  undetermined.  It  is  of  infinite  and 
everlasting  importance,  and  demands  imme- 
diate attention.  Oh,  be  persuaded  to  come 
unto  Christ,  to  embark  with  him  on  the  voy- 
age of  life,  to  adventure  your  safety  for  time 
and  eternity  into  his  hands.  Are  you  content 
to  steer  your  course  alone  and  unprotected, 
to  continue  at  a  distance  from  God,  and  from 
peace,  and  from  the  hope  of  heaven  ?  Cast 
yourself  upon  Christ  for  righteousness  to  de- 
liver you  from  wrath,  for  wisdom  to  rescue 
you  from  fatal  ignorance  or  error,  for  sancti- 
fication  to  renew  your  aflfections  and  inclina- 
tions, for  redemption  to  save  you  from  hell 
and  the  grave.  Yield  yourself  to  the  Lord, 
make  a  full  surrender  of  all  you  have, — your 
time,  your  health,  your  talents,  your  labours, 
your  enjoyments,  your  influence,  your  hopes. 
If  God  inclines  your  heart  to  do  this  in  reality, 
then  indeed  "  the  lines  have  fallen  unto  you  in 
pleasant  places,  and  you  have  a  goodly  heri- 
tage." Your  path,  like  the  shining  light,  shall 
become  brighter  and  brighter ;  you  shall  be- 
come increasingly  a  blessing  to  the  church 
of  God,  and  to  all  that  are  around  you.  Hav- 
ing entered  the  service  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  it 
may  be  said  that  "  of  the  increase  of  his 
government  and  peace  [in  your  heart]  there 
shall  be  no  end."  Isa.  ix.  7.  As  the  property 
of  God  who  takes  care  of  his  own,  you  shall 
be  safe  from  fear  of  evil ;  all  your  wants  shall 


SELF-DEDICATION.  197 

be  supplied;  your  portion  is  boundless  and 
everlasting.  "  All  things  are  yours ;  whether 
Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or 
life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to 
come;  all  are  yours;  and  ye  are  Christ's; 
and  Christ  is  God's."  1  Cor.  iii.  21 — 23. 


17 


CHAPTER  IX. 


INTERCESSION. 


It  has  been  already  remarked  that  the  insti- 
tutions of  divine  worship  are  admirably 
adapted  to  the  nature  of  man,  who,  whilst  he 
is  a  social  being  and  dependent  on  his  fellows 
for  much  of  his  improvement  and  happiness, 
is  at  the  same  time  possessed  of  certain  pow- 
ers which  for  their  development  require  him 
to  cultivate  retirement.  To  this  observation 
it  may  now  be  added  that  the  influence  of 
those  around  us,  of  our  friends,  relatives,  and 
associates,  operates  not  only  when  they  are 
present,  or  when  there  is  any  direct  inter- 
change of  sentiment  and  feeling,  but  even 
when  they  are  absent,  and  when  all  inter- 
course with  them  is  suspended.  Every  one 
knows  by  experience,  that  the  thoughts  and 
feelings  of  the  heart  are  ever  inclined  to  fol- 
low, in  absence,  those  by  whom  they  have 
been  awakened  ;  and  that  impressions  receiv- 
ed, whether  pleasant  or  painful,  whether  pro- 
fitable or  unprofitable,  and  whether  made  up- 
on the  understanding,  the  imagination,  or  the 
aflfections,  remain  long  after  separation.  To 
this  important  feature  of  the  social  principle 
in  man,  there  is  also  a  wise  adaptation  in  the 
exercises  of  devotion,  in  which  we  are  per- 
mitted to  hold  communion  even  with  the  ab- 
198 


NTERCESSION.  199 

sent.  There  is  no  affection  really  good  which 
can  be  entertained  towards  our  fellow-crea- 
tures, but  may  find  expression  in  the  exercises 
of  secret  prayer.  Thanksgiving  as  well  as 
petition  in  behalf  of  his  fellow  Christians, 
whether  he  had  seen  their  face  in  the  flesh,  or 
had  only  heard  of  them  through  his  brethren 
in  the  ministry,  seems  to  have  formed  part  of 
the  daily  employment  of  the  apostle  of  the 
gentiles.  Well  would  it  be  for  professing 
Christians  generally,  if  the  impression  left  on 
their  minds  by  mutual  intercourse,  or  by  cor- 
respondence, or  by  even  hearing  of  one  an- 
other,— were  such  as  that  each  could  with 
truth  say  to  his  brethren,  as  Paul  said  to  the 
Philippians,  "  I  thank  my  God  upon  every  re- 
membrance of  you."  Phil.  i.  3. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  explain  that  by 
intercession,  the  part  of  secret  devotion  which 
we  now  proceed  to  consider,  is  meant  prayer 
in  behalf  of  others.  It  would  have  been 
strange  indeed  had  this  formed  no  part  of  the 
duties  of  the  closet.  The  affections  arising 
out  of  the  natural  relationships  of  human  life, 
prompt  us  to  cherish  wishes  for  the  welfare 
of  those  who  are  dear  to  us;  and  why  should 
not  these  wishes  find  expression  in  the  lan- 
guage of  prayer?  Moreover,  we  are  com- 
manded to  love  our  newjhbour  as  ourselves, 
that  is,  we  are  to  desire  his  well-being, 
temporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal,  as  we  desire 
our  own ;  and  as  no  proper  regard  to  our 
personal  welfare  can  be  entertained  unless  it 
prompts  us  to  pray  for  ourselves,  so  it  is 


200  INTERCESSION. 

obvious  that  we  can  have  no  proper  regard 
to  our  neighbour  unless  we  are  prompted  to 
offer  intercessions  in  his  behalf.  Indeed,  the 
thoughtless  manner  in  which  persons  who 
have  no  sense  of  religion  take  the  name  of 
God  in  vain,  whilst  they  use  the  words  of 
prayer  for  a  blessing  on  the  objects  of  their 
affection  ;  and  even  the  blasphemous  impreca- 
tions of  the  profane  swearer  against  any  one 
who  happens  to  be  the  object  of  his  hasty 
resentment,  might  be  referred  to  as  showing 
the  importance  of  the  duty  of  which  we 
speak,  and  as  putting  to  shame  many  who 
profess  to  live  in  the  fear  of  God.  The 
irreverent  blessings  of  the  irreligious,  and  the 
profane  cursings  of  the  openly  wicked,  alike 
recognize  the  truth  that  God  is  the  Hearer 
of  prayer  addressed  to  him  in  behalf  of  others; 
and  that  we  are  encouraged  and  even  re- 
quired, to  give  utterance  in  the  language  of 
intercession,  to  all  the  affectionate  emotions 
which  our  fellow-creatures  may  lawfully 
awaken. 

There  is  no  ground  for  supposing  that  the 
duty  of  remembering  others  in  our  prayers  is 
superseded,  or  its  obligation  in  any  degree 
lessened,  by  the  fact  that  Christ  is  the  great 
Intercessor  who  pleads  the  cause  of  his  peo- 
ple with  God.  Very  different,  indeed,  is  his 
intercession  from  ours.  He,  a  divine  person, 
equal  with  the  Father,  the  appointed  Mediator 
between  God  and  man,  having  by  his  death 
made  perfect  satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  his 
people,  possesses  a  rightful  claim  to  be  heard 


INTERCESSION.  201 

in  the  court  of  heaven  ;  and,  founding  his  plea 
on  the  covenant  of  redemption  and  his  own 
complete  fulfilment  of  its  stipulations,  can 
appeal  to  the  law  and  justice  of  the  supreme 
Ruler  in  behalf  of  the  ransomed.  We,  sinful 
worms  of  the  dust,  possessing  no  right  to  ap- 
proach the  great  Jehovah  except  that  which 
arises  from  his  own  most  gracious  permission, 
and  having  nothing  to  plead  but  rich  and 
boundless  mercy  flowing  through  an  atone- 
ment not  of  our  providing,  can  point  to 
nothing  in  ourselves,  or  in  those  for  whom 
we  intercede,  but  the  deepest  unworthiness. 
The  intercession  of  Christ  is  perfect,  power- 
ful, uninterrupted,  and  all-prevailing ;  our 
intercessions  are  exceedingly  weak  and  im- 
perfect, often  attended  with  much  unbelief, 
and  liable  to  be  influenced  by  the  mistakes 
and  foolish  partialities  of  our  fallen  nature. 
But,  as  the  intercession  of  Christ  does  not  su- 
persede the  necessity  of  praying  for  our- 
selves, so  neither  does  it  discharo:e  us  from 
the  obligation  to  pray  for  others.  Prayer, 
and  all  other  means  of  grace,  are  adapted 
in  infinite  wisdom  to  serve  the  most  impor- 
tant ends ;  and  the  daily  and  constant  practice 
of  bringing  before  the  throne  of  grace,  the 
circumstances  and  wants  of  our  fellow-crea- 
tures, whether  saints  or  sinners,  friends  or 
enemies,  ministers  of  the  gospel  or  private 
Christians,  is  in  many  ways  fraught  with  the 
richest  advantage  both  to  us  and  them. 

Nor    let  it  be  supposed  that  the   duty  of 
which   we   speak,   devolves    exclusively   on 


202  INTERCESSION. 

ministers  of  the  gospel  or  office-bearers  of  the 
church.  Those  who  minister  in  holy  things, 
are  assuredly  required  by  the  very  nature  of 
their  office,  to  abound  in  prayer  in  behalf  of 
those  among  whom  they  labour,  and  of  the 
church  at  large.  This  is  not  more  their  duty 
than  their  privilege;  and  the  epistles  of  Paul 
show  how  much  it  was  practised  by  that  emi- 
nent servant  of  Christ.  "  God  is  my  witness, 
whom  I  serve  with  my  spirit  in  the  gospel  of 
his  Son,  that  without  ceasing,  I  make  men- 
tion of  you  always  in  my  prayers."  Rom.  i. 
9.  The  apostle  seems  to  have  considered  it 
as  a  distinct  and  very  important  part  of  his 
work,  to  give  thanks  and  offer  petitions  in 
behalf  of  his  fellow-christians,  and  even  to 
make  mention  of  them  one  by  one  in  his 
prayers.  But  he  was,  at  the  same  time,  far 
from  supposing  that  this  exercise  of  intercess- 
ion was  the  peculiar  province  of  the  apostles, 
or  even  of  the  ordinary  rulers  and  ministers 
of  the  house  of  God.  Far  from  this,  he 
again  and  again  requests  an  interest  in  the 
supplications  of  all  the  members  of  the  church, 
and  counted  upon  the  efficacy  of  their  pray- 
ers as  influencing  the  future  course  of  his  own 
labours.  "  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  for 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  and  for  the  love 
of  the  Spirit,  that  ye  strive  together  with  me 
in  your  prayers  to  God  for  me ;  that  I  may 
be  delivered  from  them  which  do  not  believe 
in  Judea :  and  that  my  service  which  I  have 
for  Jerusalem  may  be  accepted  of  the  saints." 
Rom.   XV.   30,   31.      And    again,   *'  I    trust 


INTERCESSION.  203 

through  your  prayers  I  shall  be  given  unto 
you."  Philem.  22.  The  doctrine  of  the  pe- 
cuHar  merit  and  efficacy  of  the  prayers  of  the 
clergy,  has  been  a  most  fruitful  source  of 
error  and  corruption  in  the  church  of  Rome. 
How  little  countenance  this  doctrine  receives 
in  scripture,  is  obvious  from  the  passages  just 
quoted,  and  many  others  of  similar  import, — 
in  which  a  minister  of  Christ,  although  inves- 
ted with  the  honour  of  an  inspired  writer  and 
with  the  authority  of  an  apostle,  entreats  the 
prayers  of  the  humblest  private  christian. 
The  exercise  of  which  we  speak,  is  at  once 
the  duty  and  the  privilege  of  all. 

For  whom  are  our  intercessions  to  be  of- 
fered ?  This  question  is  natural,  and  it  is  not 
difficult  to  answer  ;  the  difficuhy  here  consists 
in  condensing  within  the  necessary  limits, 
what  is  proper  to  be  advanced.  In  general, 
we  are  to  pray  for  all  men, — high  and  low, 
rich  and  poor,  rulers  and  ruled,  friends  and 
enemies,  countrymen  and  strangers.  Chris- 
tians, Jews,  Mahommedans,  Pagans,  —  the 
whole  family  of  man.  All  are  our  brethren,  par- 
takers of  the  same  nature,  descended  from  the 
same  parents,  having  the  same  blood  in  their 
veins,  standing  in  need  of  the  same  salvation, 
and  equally  the  subjects  of  God's  moral  go- 
vernment here,  and  of  a  righteous  judgment 
hereafter.  In  all  that  is  most  important,  the 
whole  race  of  mankind  stands  upon  a  level. 
The  gospel,  setting  at  nought  the  artificial  and 
temporary  distinctions  of  rank  and  station, 
proceeds  on  the  principle  of  man's  nnmortality, 


204  INTERCESSION. 

deals  witli  him  as  a  sinner,  provides  deliver- 
ance from  the  plague  of  the  heart,  offers  true 
and  solid  enjoyment,  and  presents  to  the  un- 
derstanding the  simple  but  all-important  state- 
ments of  eternal  truth.  Adapted  alike  to  all 
in  its  offers,  promises,  and  provisions,  it  suffers 
us  not  to  regard  with  indifference  any  one 
partaking  of  our  common  nature.  "  I  exhort 
therefore,  that,  first  of  all,  supplications,  pray- 
ers, intercessions,  and  giving  of  thanks,  be 
made  for  all  men."     1  Tim.  ii.  1. 

But  there  are  some  who  have  special  claims 
upon  our  remembrance  at  the  throne  of  grace. 
That  we  are  permitted  to  make  particular 
mention  of  earthly  relatives,  is  obvious  from 
the  approved  prayer  of  Abraham  in  behalf  of 
his  son  Ishmael,  even  although  he  was  not  the 
child  of  promise ;  "  O  that  Ishmael  might  live 
before  thee."  Gen.  xvii.  18.  That  this  prayer 
was  heard,  and  answered  in  the  bestowal  of 
spiritual  blessings  upon  Ishmael  himself,  as 
well  as  in  the  conferring  of  energy  and  cou- 
rage upon  his  posterity,  is  probable,  not  only 
from  the  distinct  promise  made  in  reply,  "As 
for  Ishmael  I  have  heard  thee ;"  but  also  from 
the  respectful  mention  that  is  made  of  Ishmael 
on  the  occasion  of  his  father's  death,  and  like- 
wise from  the  manner  in  which  his  own  death 
is  mentioned  in  scripture.  Ishmael  took  part 
with  Isaac  in  paying  the  last  tribute  to  the  re- 
mains of  their  venerable  sire  ;  and  afterwards 
of  himself  it  is  said,  that  he  died  and  "was 
gathered  unto  his  people,"  an  expression  which 
gives  reason  to  hope  that  he  was  an  heir  of 


INTERCESSION.  205 

that  heavenly  inheritance,  to  which  his  father 
by  faith  looked  forward.  But  there  are  other 
ties  besides  earthly  relationship,  by  w^hich  our 
intercessions  are  to  be  directed.  The  church 
of  God,  whether  understood  as  consisting  of 
the  professors  of  rehgion  at  large,  or  embrac- 
ing only  those  w^ho  are  true  believers,  must 
never  be  forgotten.  "  Pray  for  the  peace  of 
Jerusalem :  they  shall  prosper  that  love  thee. 
Peace  be  within  thy  walls,  and  prosperity 
within  thy  palaces.  For  my  brethren  and 
companions'  sakes,  I  will  now  say.  Peace  be 
within  thee."  Psalm  cxxii.  6 — 8.  The  sen- 
timents here  expressed  by  the  psalmist  were 
not  merely  Jewish  feelings,  or  awakened  only 
by  a  regard  to  the  literal  Jerusalem.  The 
spiritual  Zion,  the  Jerusalem  which  is  from 
above,  the  church  of  the  living  God,  the  mys- 
tical body  of  Christ,  is  that  which  in  every 
age  has  endeared  itself  to  the  believing  heart. 
The  same  principle  which  led  the  Old  Testa- 
ment saints  to  say,  "  If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jeru- 
salem, let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning. 
If  I  do  not  remember  thee,  let  my  tongue 
cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth ;  if  I  prefer 
not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy,"  Psalm 
cxxxvii.  5,  6,  prompted  the  apostle  John,  in 
other  circumstances,  to  declare,  "  We  know 
that  we.  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  be- 
cause we  love  the  brethren,"  1  John  iii.  14, 
and  led  the  apostle  Paul  to  remember  without 
ceasing  in  his  prayers,  all  those  with  whose 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  and  love  to  the  saints 
he  had  become  acquainted. 

18 


206  INTERCESSION. 

A  special  interest  may  be  expected  to  be 
felt  in  that  portion  of  the  visible  church  with 
which  we  are  more  immediately  connected, 
and  in  those  Christians  among  whom  our  lot 
is  cast,  and  with  whom  we  have  direct  oppor- 
tunities of  holding  communion.  Among  such, 
there  may  be  those  from  whom  we  have  re- 
ceived spiritual  profit,  and  others  for  whose 
benefit  we  have  laboured,  and  whose  progress 
in  divine  things  we  have  carefully  watched. 
These  and  other  circumstances  endlessly  di- 
versified, render  it  unavoidable  that,  even 
among  those  who  are  genuine  Christians  and 
equally  dear  to  the  Saviour,  there  should  be 
some  who  have  more  powerful  claims  than 
others,  upon  our  aflfectionate  remembrance  at 
the  throne  of  grace. 

The  relation  subsisting  between  a  pastor 
and  his  flock,  is  not  properly  regarded  unless 
it  is  felt,  both  by  him  and  them,  as  laying  the 
foundation  of  mutual,  earnest,  and  daily  inter- 
cessions. Prayer  for  his  people  can  never  be 
neglected  by  the  minister,  without  serious  in- 
jury to  himself  as  well  as  to  them.  His  pri- 
vate studies,  his  public  labours,  all  his  attempts 
to  serve  God  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  must  be 
accompanied  by  prayer.  In  the  choice  of 
subjects,  in  the  mode  of  handling  them,  in  con- 
ducting every  part  of  public  worship,  in  admin- 
isterinsc  the  word  and  sacraments,  in  catechiz- 
ing,  in  teaching  from  house  to  house,  and  in 
tendering  censure  or  encouragement  as  cir- 
cumstances may  require,  he  stands  in  constant 
need  of  direction  and  strength  from  on  high, 


INTERCESSION.  207 

and  these  he  must  expect  in  answer  to  unre- 
mitting supplication.  Nor  is  it  enough  that 
he  ask  a  blessing  upon  his  labours  ;  the  case 
of  those  among  whom  he  labours,  collectively 
and  individually,  must  be  thought  of  and  re- 
membered, and  made  the  subject  of  special 
intercession.  It  will  be  the  part  of  wisdom 
W'hen  offering  prayer  in  their  behalf,  to  allow 
the  families  and  individuals  of  his  charge,  to 
pass  before  his  mind,  with  their  various  cir- 
cumstances and  temptations,  so  far  as  he  is 
acquainted  with  them.  The  young,  the  aged, 
the  backsliding,  the  self-righteous,  the  afflicted, 
must  severally  be  remembered.  And  the  ad- 
vantage of  this  will  be  felt,  not  only  in  those 
blessings  which  may  be  directly  expected  in 
answer  to  prayer ;  but  also  in  the  effect  pro- 
duced by  such  an  exercise  upon  his  own  feel- 
ings and  studies.  The  minister  who  so  acts, 
is  thereby  in  a  great  measure  protected  from 
the  danger  of  either  neglecting  his  pastoral 
duties,  or  of  performing  them  in  a  cold,  inef- 
ficient, and  aimless  manner.  Such  frequent 
and  affectionate  reference  in  secret  to  the  par- 
ticular circumstances  of  his  people,  will  insen- 
sibly guide  him  to  what  is  most  for  their  be- 
nefit in  the  selection  of  subjects  for  the  pulpit, 
and  in  the  general  strain  and  tendency  of  all 
his  ministrations,  public  and  private. 

It  is  delightful  to  think  of  the  endlessly  di- 
versified advantages,  that  result  from  the  ex- 
ercise among  Christians  of  mutual  intercession 
at  the  throne  of  grace.  If  the  prayers  which 
a  minister  offers  in  behalf  of  his  people,  are 


208  INTERCESSION. 

attended  with  blessings  both  to  him  and  them  ; 
the  same  thing  may  be  said  of  the  prayers  of 
the  Christian  people  in  behalf  of  their  minis- 
ters. The  apostle  of  whom  we  have  already 
spoken,  was  accustomed  to  say,  "  Brethren, 
pray  for  us ;"  and  much  more,  we  may  well 
suppose,  do  the  ordinary  teachers  of  Christi- 
anity stand  in  need  of  that  favour  which  even 
an  inspired  apostle  felt  it  necessary  to  ask. 
This  eminent  and  highly-honoured  man  was 
sometimes  led  to  dispense  with  the  assistance 
of  certain  churches,  in  regard  to  the  supply 
of  his  temporal  wants  ;  but  he  never  could  af- 
ford to  dispense  with  their  prayers.  The 
ministry  itself  is  a  blessing  which  is  granted 
in  answer  to  prayer.  "  I  will  give  you  pas- 
tors according  to  mine  heart,  which  shall  feed 
you  with  knowledge  and  understanding."  Jer. 
iii.  15.  And  seeing  it  is  God  who  alone  giv- 
eth  the  increase,  the  members  of  the  church 
must  not  be  contented  with  merely  enjoying 
the  ordinances,  but  must  look  unceasingly  for 
the  accompanying  blessing.  When  the  peo- 
ple pray  for  their  minister,  his  power  of  doing 
them  good  is  greatly  increased,  their  own  af- 
fection towards  him  is  strengthened,  brotherly 
love  is  promoted,  and  what  is  best  of  all,  the 
presence  of  Christ  is  likely  to  be  enjoyed  in 
the  ordinances.  The  minister  of  a  prayerful 
people,  will  receive  grace  and  strength  for  the 
discharge  of  his  duties  in  answer  to  their 
prayers  ;  the  very  consciousness  that  his  peo- 
ple are  daily  and  affectionately  remembering 
him  at  the  throne  of  grace,  will  give  life  and 


INTERCESSION.  209 

energy  to  his  labours,  both  in  the  study  and 
the  pulpit ;  whilst  by  the  exercise  in  question, 
the  people  are  prepared  to  unite  with  him  in 
the  devotions  of  the  sanctuary,  and  to  listen 
with  attention  to  all  his  instructions. 

But  the  intercessions  of  Christians  must,  at 
the  same  time,  take  a  wider  range.  The  pro- 
motion of  the  glory  of  God  upon  earth,  the 
advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  the 
conversion  of  the  Jews,  the  overthrow  of  anti- 
christ, the  evangelization  of  the  heathen,  the 
revival  of  true  godliness  at  home  and  abroad, 
are  objects  in  which  all  will  take  an  interest 
in  proportion  as  they  really  believe  and  value 
the  gospel.  "  As  truly  as  I  live,  all  the  earth 
shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  the  Lord." 
Num.  xiv.  21.  "His  name  shall  endure  for 
ever;  his  name  shallbe  continued  as  long  as 
the  sun  ;  and  men  shall  be  blessed  in  him  ;  all 
nations  shall  call  him  blessed."  Psa.  Ixxii.  17. 
The  promises  of  the  divme  word,  are  to  be 
converted  by  us  into  prayers;  as  the  prayers 
which  it  records  are  to  be  regarded  in  the 
light  of  promises.  It  has  pleased  God  to  con- 
fer the  greatest  honour  upon  the  prayers  of 
his  people,  by  intimating  that  all  the  blessings 
W'hich  he  has  in  store  for  our  race  in  the 
coming  ages  of  the  world,  shall  be  conferred 
in  answer  to  their  requests.  "  And  they  shall 
say.  This  land  that  was  desolate  is  become 
like  the  garden  of  Eden ;  and  the  waste,  and 
desolate,  and  ruined  cities,  are  become  fenced, 
and  are  inhabited.  Then  the  heathen,  that 
are  round  about  you,  shall  know  that  I  the 
■      18* 


210  INTERCESSION. 

Lord  build  the  ruined  places,  and  plant  that 
which  was  desolate :  I  the  Lord  have  spoken 
it,  and  I  will  do  it.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God, 
I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the  house 
of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them."  Ezek.  xxxvi.  35, 
36,  37. 

The  connection  between  intercession  for 
others  and  petition  for  ourselves,  is  niuch 
more  intimate  than  might  be  at  first  imagined. 
The  man  who  does  not  feel  his  own  spiritual 
wants,  is  not  likely  to  care  for  the  spiritual 
wants  even  of  those  whom  he  loves;  and 
much  less  is  he  capable  of  having  any  proper 
regard  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  or  the  con- 
version of  the  world.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
person  who  has  been  taught  the  truth,  and 
certainty,  and  infinite  importance  of  divine 
and  eternal  realities,  and  the  surpassing  pre- 
ciousness  of  the  gospel,  in  relation  to  his  own 
personal  interests,  will  be  constrained  to  con- 
template the  same  all-momentous  truths  in  re- 
lation to  those  around  him.  Indeed,  the  same 
individual  will  feel  that,  in  proportion  as  his 
prayers  in  his  own  behalf  are  frequent  and 
fervent,  such  also  are  his  intercessions  in  be- 
half of  others ;  and  that  when  he  falls  into 
comparative  carelessness  in  regard  to  his  own 
best  interests,  he  becomes  proportionally  in- 
different to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  friends. 
Nor  is  this  all:  the  exercise  of  praying  for  his 
fellow-men,  is  uniformly  found  by  the  Chris- 
tian to  have  the  happiest  influence  upon  his 
own  heart.  It  is  directly  calculated  to  pro- 
mote the  purest  and  warmest  benevolence,  a 


INTERCESSION.  211 

principle  which  secures  the  happiness  of  the 
bosom  by  which  it  is  entertained.  It  tends  to 
keep  before  his  mind,  the  spiritual  blessings 
which  are  needed  by  himself  as  well  as  by 
his  friends,  and  the  sufficiency  of  Christ  for 
the  supply  of  all  his  wants ;  and  thus  muUi- 
plying  his  errands  to  the  throne  of  grace,  he 
is  more  and  more  made  to  feel  how  good  it 
is  to  draw  near  to  God.  Moreover,  the  per- 
son who  daily  and  constantly  presents  inter- 
cessions for  others,  will  find  it  necessary  to 
pray  for  himself  for  the  sake  of  those  others 
in  whose  behalf  he  intercedes.  The  parent 
who  sincerely  desires  the  salvation  of  his 
child,  must  not  only  pray  for  his  child,  but  for 
himself  also,  that  he  may  have  grace  to  dis- 
charge his  duties  as  a  parent.  The  minister 
who  remembers  his  people  in  his  approaches 
to  God,  is  not  remembering  them  aright  un- 
less he  is  led  to  pour  out  his  heart  for  strength 
and  fidelity  to  himself,  in  ministering  among 
them.  The  people,  on  the  other  hand,  are 
not  interceding  aright  for  their  minister,  un- 
less they,  at  the  same  time,  make  it  their  re- 
quest that  they,  on  their  part,  may  be  enabled 
so  to  act  as  to  strengthen  his  hands  and  en- 
courage his  heart  in  the  work  of  the  Lord. 
The  individual  Christian  is  not  praying  as  he 
ought  for  his  brethren  in  the  church,  for  his 
fellow-men  in  the  world,  and  for  the  advance- 
ment of  Christ's  kingdom,  if  he  is  not  by  so 
doing  reminded  of  his  obligation  to  do  good 
to  all  as  he  has  opportunity,  and  consequently 
excited  to  ask  grace  for  this  end.     When  the 


212  INTERCESSION. 

Lord  shall  build  up  Zion,  he  will  do  so  in  an- 
swer to  the  prayers  of  his  people ;  and  when 
he  converts  the  heathen,  it  will  be,  in  the  first 
place,  by  granting  a  more  copious  effusion  of 
his  Spirit  upon  those  who  are  already  con- 
verted. In  proportion  as  the  spiritual  pros- 
perity of  the  church  is  increased,  will  the 
hopes  of  the  heathen  at  home  and  abroad  be- 
come brighter.  "  God  be  merciful  unto  us, 
and  bless  us ;  and  cause  his  face  to  shine  up- 
on us ;  that  thy  way  may  be  known  upon 
the  earth,  thy  saving  health  among  all  na- 
tions." Psa.  Ixvii.  1,  2. 

Intercession  for  others,  like  petition  for  our- 
selves, ought  to  be  minute  and  specific.  This 
requires  some  knowledge  of  the  circumstances 
of  those  for  whom  we  intercede ;  and  hence 
the  importance  of  friendly  and  confidential 
intercourse  among  Christians.  Our  prayers 
in  behalf  of  those  with  whom  we  are  unac- 
quainted, must  be  of  a  very  general  nature. 
The  more  we  know,  on  the  one  hand,  of  the 
imperfections,  difficulties,  and  temptations  of 
our  fellow  Christians,  or  on  the  other,  of  their 
graces,  attainments,  and  enjoyments,  the  bet- 
ter are  we  qualified  to  sympathize  with  their 
sorrows  and  joys,  and  to  offer  up  special  peti- 
tions or  thankso:ivino:s  on  their  account. 
*'  Wherefore,  I  also,"  says  Paul  to  the  Ephe- 
sians,  "  after  I  heard  of  your  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  love  unto  all  the  saints,  cease  not 
to  give  thanks  for  you,  making  mention  of  you 
in  my  prayers."  Eph.  i.  15,  16. 

When  we  speak  of  intercession  being  mi- 


INTERCESSION.  218 

nute  and  specific,  we  mean  that  those  for 
whom  we  pray  should  be  remembered  and 
made  mention  of,  one  by  one,  and  that  their 
individual  circumstances,  so  far  as  known  to 
us,  should  be  particularly  dwelt  upon ;  so  that 
we  may  give  full  utterance  to  our  sorrows, 
our  thanksgivings,  and  our  anxieties,  in  their 
behalf,  in  the  presence  of  Him  who  seeth  in 
secret.  For  example,  when  a  parent  prays 
for  his  children,  he  should  not  content  himself 
with  a  general  allusion  to  them.  In  the  hear- 
ing of  others,  general  language  in  this  as  in 
every  part  of  prayer  must  be  employed,  but 
as  it  is  secret  devotion  of  which  we  speak, 
the  general  language  must  as  much  as  pos- 
sible be  laid  aside,  and  his  children,  one  after 
another,  specially  thought  of  and  mentioned. 
Abraham  did  not  content  himself  with  a  gen- 
eral mention  of  his  household,  when  he  said, 
"  O  that  Ishmael  misrht  live  before  thee." 
When  Jacob  was  about  to  leave  the  world, 
he  called  to  him  his  twelve  sons,  and  pro- 
nounced a  distinct  and  well-known  blessing 
upon  each,  beginning  with  the  eldest  and  end- 
ing with  the  youngest.  The  prophetical  cha- 
racter of  what  he  then  uttered,  does  not  pre- 
vent his  conduct  from  being  an  example  to 
parents  in  every  age,  so  far  as  regards  the  of- 
fering of  distinct  addresses  to  God  in  behalf 
of  their  children  individually.  It  was  the 
practice  of  Job  to  offer  burnt-offerings  for  his 
family  "  according  to  the  number  of  them 
all."  Job  i.  5.  The  special  intercessions  pre- 
sented by  a  Christian  parent,  must  necessarily 


214  INTERCESSION. 

have  reference  to  the  diflerent  circumslances 
of  the  various  members  of  the  domestic  circle. 
Some  are  younger,  others  more  advanced. 
Some  are  naturally  gentle  in  their  dispositions, 
others  more  violent, — and  what  is  of  greater 
moment,  some  are  perhaps  giving  evidence 
of  a  saving  change,  w'hilst  others  are  growing 
up  in  habits  of  carelessness  and  vice.  A  sim- 
ilar diversity  of  circumstances  belongs  to 
those  for  whom  it  is  our  duty  to  pray,  what- 
ever be  the  ties  by  which  we  are  bound  to 
them,  (the  ties  of  natural  relationship,  of 
church  fellowship,  of  Christian  friendship,  or 
merely  those  of  our  common  humanity,)  and 
our  thanksgivings  and  petitions  must  be  di- 
rected accordingly.  Indeed,  it  were  well  if 
some  little  time  were  regularly  devoted  to  the 
exercise  of  meditating  on  the  circumstances 
of  our  friends  and  others,  for  the  very  purpose 
of  assisting  us  in  our  intercessions.  We  are 
not  recommending  the  use  of  written  forms 
of  prayer ;  but  it  might  be  well  for  parents  to 
assist  their  memories  by  writing,  from  time 
to  time,  a  summary  of  those  blessings  which 
they  ought  to  ask  in  behalf  of  their  children 
severally ;  and  for  ministers  to  preserve  a  list 
of  their  people  to  be  frequently  reviewed  in 
the  closet,  when  the  members  of  the  flock, 
youthful  and  aged,  careless  and  awakened, 
weak  and  experienced,  persevering  and  back- 
sliding are  brought  before  the  Lord ;  and  for 
Christians  generally,  to  keep  memoranda  of 
the  names  and  circumstances  of  those  for 
whom  it  is  their  privilege  to  intercede. 


INTEilCESSION.  215 

Reader,  how  do  you  stand  affected  to  this 
department  of  secret  devotion  ?  How  much 
of  your  time  is  daily  spent  in  the  work  of  in- 
tercession? Do  you  esteem  it  one  of  your 
highest  privileges  that  you  may,  as  much  and 
as  often  as  you  please,  remember  those  who 
are  dear  to  you  at  the  throne  of  grace  1  Are 
you  accustomed  to  give  utterance  to  the  over- 
flowings of  affection,  in  earnest  and  persever- 
ing supplications  for  the  everlasting  welfare 
of  those  whom  you  love  ?  Do  you  feel  your 
heart  knit  by  the  bonds  of  a  holy  brotherhood, 
to  all  the  people  of  God,  to  all  who  bear  the 
lovely  image  of  Christ?  Do  your  bowels 
yearn  with  compassion  for  perishing  sinners  ? 
are  you  afflicted  in  all  the  sufferings  and  dis- 
couragements of  the  church,  and  are  you 
daily  pleading  the  promises  of  the  divine  word 
for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen,  the  restora- 
tion of  Israel,  and  the  universal  reign  of  truth 
and  righteousness  ?  If  such  are  your  feelings 
and  exercises,  be  persuaded  to  persevere  in  a 
course  so  fraught  with  present  blessings  to 
yourself,  and  with  future  good  to  the  church 
and  the  world.  "  I  have  set  watchmen  upon 
thy  walls,  O  Jerusalem,  which  shall  never 
hold  their  peace  day  nor  night ;  ye  that  make 
mention  of  the  Lord,  keep  not  silence;  and 
give  him  no  rest,  till  he  establish,  and  till  he 
make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  earth."  Isa. 
Ixii.  6,  7. 

Perhaps  some  one  may  pass  his  eye  over 
these  lines,  who  is  a  comparative  stranger  to 
the  exercise  of  which  we  speak.     He  does 


216  INTERCESSION. 

not  live  wholly  without  prayer;  but  a  few 
hasty  petitions  for  himself  is  all  that  he  is 
accustomed  to  utter.  Not  that  he  is  destitute 
of  natural  affection,  his  heart  is  warm,  and,  it 
may  be,  his  disposition  generous.  Will  such 
a  person  pause  whilst  we  address  to  him  a 
few  sentences'?  The  prayers  you  offer  for 
yourself  prove  that  as  a  professed  believer  in 
Christianity,  you  acknowledge  the  interests 
of  the  soul  and  of  eternity  to  be  of  transcen- 
dent importance.  Are  not  the  souls  of  those 
around  you,  your  relatives,  your  family,  those 
for  whose  temporal  maintenance  perhaps 
you  willingly  toil  and  labour,  infinitely  pre- 
cious ?  Why  then  do  you  not  pray  for 
them  ?  why  do  you  neglect  this  most  impor- 
tant means  of  promoting  their  true  welfare  ? 
Be  persuaded  to  begin.  If  you  do  not  pray 
for  those  who  are  under  your  charge,  or 
within  the  range  of  your  influence,  how  do 
you  know  that  they  may  not  perish  through 
your  neglect  of  intercession,  and  your  conse- 
quent irreligious  example  ?  How  do  you 
know  that  some  have  not  already  perished 
from  this  cause,  and  that  the  ruinous  effects 
of  your  prayerless  habits  may  not  be  extend- 
ed and  perpetuated  after  you  are  yourself  in 
the  grave?  Your  opportunities  of  interceding 
for  those  who  are  dearest  to  you,  as  well  as 
of  imploring  mercy  to  your  own  soul,  are 
every  hour  passing  away.  Neglect  this  duty 
no  longer.  Ask  the  same  blessings  for  those 
around  you,  which  you  ask  for  yourself.  If 
you  feel  a  coldness  of  heart  and  want  of  ear- 


INTERCESSION.  217 

nestness  in  this  exercise,  pray  for  grace  for 
yourself  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  inter- 
cede; your  very  deficiency  in  this  matter, 
discovers  that  you  have  much  yet  to  ask  in 
your  own  behalf.  Thus  it  is  always  in  reli- 
gion ;  attention  to  one  part  of  duty,  if  given  in 
honesty  and  good  faith,  supplies  motives  for 
the  discharge  of  another.  Implore  that  God 
may  give  you  his  Holy  Spirit  as  the  Spirit  of 
supplication,  that  you  may  so  feel  the  certainty 
of  eternal  things  as  to  render  you  incapable 
of  restraining  prayer  either  for  yourself  or  for 
others,  and  to  fill  you  with  amazement  at  the 
folly  of  your  past  neglect.  Seek  to  under- 
stand what  is  meant  by  the  apostle,  when  he 
speaks  of  travailing  as  it  were  in  birth,  till 
Christ  should  be  formed  in  the  hearts  of  those 
he  loved.  And  your  humble,  believing,  earnest 
intercessions,  shall  not  be  in  vain.  "  It  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  before  they  call,  I  will 
answer ;  and  while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I 
will  hear." 


CHAPTER   X. 

READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

Whether  we  consider  the  divine  origin  of 
the  Bible,  its  high  antiquity,  the  purity  of  its 
code  of  morals,  the  infinite  importance  of  its 
doctrines,  or  even  the  simple  sublimity  of  its 
style,  its  claims  on  our  attention  are  incom- 
parably superior  to  those  of  all  other  writings. 
It  may  and  ought  to  be  examined  as  the  store- 
house of  knowledge  and  wisdom,  the  discovery 
of  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  the  revelation 
to  dying  man  of  eternal  life  through  a  cruci- 
fied Redeemer.  By  the  study  of  this  sacred 
volume  the  intellect  is  disciplined  and  im- 
proved, the  mind  stored  with  pure  and  lofty 
sentiments,  and  the  heart  warmed  with  love, 
hope,  and  joy.  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is 
perfect,  converting  the  soul ;  the  testimony  of 
the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple. 
The  statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  rejoicing 
the  heart  ;  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is 
pure,  enlightening  the  eyes."  Psalm  xix.  7,  8. 
The  scriptures  may  be  read  in  many  va- 
rious wa}^?,  and  from  a  great  diversity  of 
motives.  They  are  examined  by  the  scholar 
who  is  anxious  to  become  familiar  with  the 
original  tongues ;  by  the  man  of  taste  who 
wishes  to  enjoy  their  beauties ;  by  the  divine 
who  labours  to  collect  materials  for  his  theo- 
218 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  219 

logical  system  ;  and  by  the  controversialist 
who  seeks  about  on  all  sides  for  arguments  to 
be  employed  in  noisy  debate.  It  is  scarcely 
necessary  to  say  that  the  reading  of  the  scrip- 
tures of  which  we  are  now  to  speak,  is  widely 
different  from  what  takes  place  in  any  of 
these  cases.  It  is  the  devotional  reading^  of 
the  word  of  God,  to  which  we  wish  at  present 
to  invite  attention. 

And  by  this  we  do  not  understand  the  mere 
reading  of  a  chapter  of  the  Bible  at  regular 
intervals  as  a  task ;  much  less  do  we  intend 
to  intimate  that  the  pronunciation  of  the  words 
and  sentences  of  scripture  will  operate  as  a 
charm  upon  the  devotee  by  whom  it  is  per- 
formed, or  be  accepted  as  an  atonement  for 
his  sins.  Such  a  view  is  not  more  repugnant 
to  common  sense,  than  it  is  opposed  to  the 
true  nature  of  devotion  as  delineated  in  the 
word  of  God  itself.  By  the  devotional  read- 
ing of  the  scriptures,  we  mean  reading  them 
in  connection  with  prayer  and  praise,  for  the 
purpose  of  affording  direction  and  encourage- 
ment in  our  approaches  to  God,  and  of  awa- 
kening and  exciting  devotional  feeling.  No- 
thing could  be  more  fanatical  or  farther  from 
truth,  than  to  suppose  that  the  mere  act  of 
reading  the  Bible,  even  when  its  meanins'  is 
neither  understood  nor  attended  to,  can  be 
acceptable  to  God,  or  in  any  way  advanta- 
geous to  the  performer.  The  influence  which 
this  part  of  worship  has  upon  the  mind  and 
feelings  of  the  w^orshipper,  is  in  all  respects 
consistent  with  reason  and  good  sense,  and 


220  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

susceptible  of  being  made  perfectly  intelligible 
to  the  niost  common  understanding. 

Is  it  not  by  the  word  of  God  that  we  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  great  and  ever- 
blessed  Object  of  worship,  and  with  those 
glorious  perfections  which  it  becomes  us  to 
adore  ?  Is  it  not  there  also  that  we  obtain 
information  as  to  those  works  of  God,  which 
illustrate  his  character,  and  demand  the  ad- 
miration and  praise  of  his  intelligent  offspring? 
Where,  but  in  the  scriptures,  is  the  way  of 
access  to  the  Father  made  known  through 
Jesus  the  Mediator  between  God  and  man: 
and  those  offers  and  promises  presented  to  us, 
W'liich  form  our  only  warrant  for  approaching 
the  throne  of  grace? — There  our  guilty  and 
ruined  condition  by  sin  is  revealed,  together 
with  the  doctrine  of  free  forgiveness  through 
the  blood  of  Emmanuel.  And  in  the  same 
treasury  of  divine  truth  are  there  innumerable 
examples  of  devotional  exercises,  in  which 
every  feeling  of  the  devout  heart  is  expressed 
in  all  the  varied  circumstances  in  which  a  sin- 
cere worshipper  can  be  placed.  The  sorrows 
produced  by  earthly  calamities,  or  by  convic- 
tion of  sin  and  a  dread  of  wrath,  the  breath- 
ings of  a  pious  soul  after  communion  and  fel- 
lowship with  God,  the  joy  and  gladness  which 
are  produced  by  the  light  of  the  divine  coun- 
tenance, the  lov^e  of  the  believer  to  the  word 
of  God,  and  his  deep  interest  in  the  prosperity 
of  Zion,  are  all  portrayed  in  the  most  graphic 
colours  by  the  finger  of  inspiration.  On  these 
circumstances  we  cannot  at  present  dwell,  but 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  221 

the  slightest  reference  to  them  suffices  to  ren- 
der perfectly  obvious  the  importance  of  read- 
ing the  scriptures  as  a  part  of  secret  devotion. 
There  is  reason  to  fear  that  this  exercise  is 
in  a  great  measure  neglected,  even  by  many 
who  give  some  attention  to  secret  prayer. 
Such  persons  are  in  every  way  losers  by  the 
omission;  for  in  addition  to  the  disadvantage 
arising  from  neglecting  that  word  which  is 
the  instrument  of  conversion  and  sanctifica- 
tion,  as  a  hammer  breaking  the  stony  heart  in 
pieces,  and  as  a  sword  piercing  to  the  dividing 
of  soul  and  spirit,  the  very  exercise  of  prayer 
itself  cannot  be  properly  engaged  in  unless 
accompanied  by  a  constant  reference  to  the 
scriptures.  These  two  exercises  cannot  be 
separated  without  the  greatest  injury  to  both. 
The  author  of  grace  in  the  heart  is  also  the 
author  of  the  sacred  volume ;  both  bear  his 
image,  and  have  in  consequence  a  mutual  re- 
semblance, as  face  answereth  to  face  in  a  glass. 
The  same  Spirit  by  whom  the  word  of  God 
was  inspired,  is  also  the  Spirit  of  grace  and 
of  supplication.  The  state  of  mind  in  which 
the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  revelation  are 
most  clearly  understood  and  most  fully  appre- 
ciated, is  that  which  is  produced  by  fervent 
prayer.  Let  all  therefore  who  would  enter 
into  the  sentiments  and  feelings  of  the  inspired 
writers,  cultivate  the  habit  of  reading  the  Bible 
upon  their  knees.  But  are  there  not  many 
whose  consciences  would  not  let  them  rest 
were  they  entirely  to  neglect  secret  prayer, 
who  yet  are  comparative  strangers  to  that  in^ 
19* 


222  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

^^'ard  living  and  feasting  upon  the  divine  word 
which  vs'ould  constrain  them  to  make  it  their 
constant  companion  in  the  closet? 

Doubtless  it  would  be  better  if  the  scriptures 
were  more  read  in  our  assemblies  for  public 
worship.  This  ought  certainly  to  form  a  dis- 
tinct and  important  part  of  every  devotional 
exercise,  whether  public,  private,  domestic,  or 
secret.  But  as  it  is  to  the  last  of  these  several 
kinds  of  devotion  that  our  attention  is  at  pre- 
sent directed,  we  are  more  immediately  con- 
cerned to  remark  that  the  reading  of  the  scrip- 
tures ought  regularly  to  form  part  of  the  stated 
exercises  of  the  closet  morning  and  evening. 
Let  the  Bible  be  the  first  book  that  is  opened 
in  the  morning,  and  let  a  distinct  portion  of 
time,  longer  or  shorter  as  circumstances  may 
admit,  be  sacredly  set  apart  for  the  deliberate 
and  prayerful  perusal  of  its  contents.  Let  the 
same  practice  be  invariably  followed  in  the 
evening,  and  let  care  and  forethought  be  used 
in  order  to  secure  the  necessary  leisure.  The 
rich  advantages  which  will  speedily  be  found 
to  attend  such  a  course,  will  abundantly  repay 
whatever  sacrifice  it  may  require. 

But  in  truth  nothing  that  can  properly  be 
called  a  sacrifice,  is  implied  in  the  practice  we 
are  recommending.  If  it  requires  the  person 
who  would  follow  it  to  rise  half  an  hour  earlier 
in  the  morning,  or  to  forfeit  in  the  evening,  for 
an  equal  period  of  time,  the  pleasure  of  mere 
idleness  or  of  unprofitable  conversation,  this, 
although  implying  a  slight  degree  of  self-de- 
nial, is  even  of  itself  an  advantage.     The  very 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  223 

act  of  preferring  duty  to  indolence,  of  doing 
what  is  right  rather  than  following  incHnation, 
of  bringing  conscience  to  bear  upon  the  dis- 
tribution of  a  man's  time  and  employments,  is 
itself  a  most  healthful  exercise,  considered 
merely  in  the  light  of  mental  discipline.  More- 
over, the  exercises  of  devotion,  and  in  par- 
ticular the  prayerful  reading  of  a  portion  of 
scripture,  may  be  regarded  as  a  most  valuable 
preparative  for  all  the  active  duties  of  life. 
No  mental  effort  requires  greater  fixedness  of 
attention,  than  that  which  is  put  forth  when 
the  great  Object  of  worship  is  solemnly  ad- 
dressed, or  the  Bible  perused  w-ith  the  felt  im- 
pression that  it  is  really  a  message  from  God 
to  ourselves.  And  what  is  of  more  import- 
ance, the  hallowed  influence  of  intercourse 
with  the  Father  of  spirits,  enlightening  and 
sanctifying  the  soul,  inspiring  every  pure  and 
noble  sentiment,  and  purging  out  irregular  de- 
sires and  earthly  passions,  cannot  fail  to  im- 
part energy  as  well  as  dignity  to  the  character, 
and  to  give  promise  of  success  in  every  lawful 
undertakins;.  In  everv  sense  it  is  true  that 
godliness  is  profitable  for  all  things,  and  has 
the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  as  well  as 
of  that  which  is  to  come. 

It  is,  however,  the  spiritual  profit  arising 
from  the  devotional  reading  of  the  scriptures, 
which  is  its  chief  recommendation.  "  Search 
the  scriptures,"  said  our  Lord  to  tlie  Jews, 
"  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life, 
and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me.'* 
John  V.  39.     This  was  said  regarding  the  Old 


224  READING   THE    SCRIPTURES. 

Testament,  for  the  New  Testament  scriptures 
were  not  then  in  existence,  and  it  was  said 
with  special  reference  to  the  testimony  borne 
to  the  Messiah  by  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
yet  it  contains  a  most  important  intimation 
both  of  doctrine  and  duty,  suitable  alike  in 
every  age.  The  Jews  supposed,  and  they 
were  right  in  supposing,  that  eternal  life  was 
revealed  to  them  in  their  own  sacred  writings  ; 
but  they  seem  also  to  have  imagined  that 
they  had  eternal  life,  as  it  were,  in  possession, 
because  they  had  the  word  of  God  in  their 
hands.  Our  Lord  exhorts  them  to  search 
those  scriptures  with  greater  diligence  and 
attention,  which  would  have  led  them  to  see 
the  exact  accomplishment  in  his  character 
and  work  of  all  that  had  been  foretold  re- 
specting their  promised  deliverer ;  and  thus, 
by  receiving  him  as  the  Christ,  they  should 
really  have  obtained  that  eternal  life  which 
they  vainly  supposed  themselves  already  to 
possess.  It  is  obvious  that  substantially  the 
same  advantages  will  result  from  searching 
the  scriptures  now,  as  in  the  days  of  our 
Lord.  We  have  the  New  Testament  as  well 
as  the  Old  to  examine,  and  may  as  much  as 
we  please  compare  the  one  with  the  other, 
and  observe  how  they  both  bear  testimony  to 
Jesus  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  The  great 
argument  by  which  the  daily  and  devotional 
study  of  the  divine  word  is  urged  upon  our 
attention,  is  that  thereby  we  may  be  led  to 
the  knowledge  and  faith  of  Christ,  and  to  the 
possession  in  him  of  eternal  hfe.     It  is  Christ 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  225 

in  the  word  which  renders  it  efficacious  as 
the  means  of  conviction,  conversion,  edifica- 
tion, and  comfort.  He  is  the  bread  of  God 
that  came  down  from  heaven,  and  through 
the  word  this  spiritual  provision  is  imparted 
to  the  soul,  in  a  manner  suited  to  its  circum- 
stances, "  As  new  born  babes,  desire  the 
sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may  grow 
thereby."  1  Peter  ii.  2.  The  voice  of  Christ 
as  heard  in  the  scriptures,  awakens  in  the 
heart  a  new  and  indestructible  principle  oi 
life.  "  The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you, 
they  are  spirit,  and  they  are  life."  John  vi. 
63.  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  the 
hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and 
they  that  hear  shall  live."     John  v.  25. 

Nor  can  we  omit  to  notice  the  superiority 
of  the  pure  word  of  God  itself  to  all  human 
writings,  however  excellent.  Perhaps  there 
is  among  many  a  disposition  to  attach  an 
undue  value  to  the  works  of  men  of  talent 
and  piety  in  elucidation  and  defence  of  the 
doctrines  of  scripture,  at  least  as  compared 
with  the  degree  of  attention  which  is  imme- 
diately bestowed  upon  the  sacred  volume. 
Far  be  it  from  us  to  undervalue  the  rich 
productions  of  the  present  and  past  genera- 
tions, by  which  the  existing  treasures  and 
monuments  of  sacred  learning,  theology,  de- 
votion, biography,  and  Christian  experience, 
have  been  accumulated.  The  facilities  which 
they  supply  for  the  intelligent  and  satisfactory 
study  of  the  Bible  cannot  be  too  highly  ap 


226  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

predated,  or  acknowledged  with  too  much 
gratitude  to  the  Father  of  all  mercies.  All 
this  may  be  admitted,  and  yet  may  there  be 
the  greatest  reason  to  fear  that  the  reading 
of  the  pure  and  simple  word  of  God  itself,  is 
a  duty  which,  perhaps  more  than  any  other, 
is  mournfully  neglected. 

So  long  as  a  man  is  not  in  earnest  about 
his  salvation,  the  Bible  is  dry  and  uninterest- 
ing, and  almost  any  other  book  has  more 
attractions.  He  may  have  pleasure  in  listen- 
ing to  the  sound  of  the  gospel  w^hen  it  is 
preached  with  eloquence  and  energy  ;  he  may 
even  have  a  taste  for  theology  as  a  science, 
or  perhaps  as  a  field  of  debate,  and  may 
peruse  with  interest  expositions  of  scripture, 
and  the  writings  of  critics  and  controversial- 
ists. But  all  the  while  there  is"  no  perception 
of  the  reality  and  certainty  of  divine  truth,  nor 
yet  of  its  own  inherent  importance.  The 
pleasure  enjoyed  arises  not  from  the  truth 
itself,  but  from  the  circumstances  with  which 
it  is  accidentally  connected ;  and  the  conse- 
quence is,  that  human  thoughts  whether 
spoken  or  written,  suggested  by  the  scrip- 
tures, have  incomparably  more  attraction 
than  the  scriptures  themselves.  Farditlerent 
is  the  case  of  one  who  under  the  teaching  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  is,  day  by  day,  living  a  life 
of  faith  upon  the  divine  promises,  and  of  com- 
munion with  God.  To  him  the  truth  is  in- 
finitely precious  on  its  own  account.  Its 
relation  to  the  Morv  of  God,  to  the  kinsjdom 
of  Christ,  and  to  his  own  hopes  here  and 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  227 

hereafter,  gives  it  a  hold  upon  his  attention 
and  his  memory,  beyond  comparison  greater 
than  it  could  receive  from  any  adventitious 
circumstance  Avhatever.  Human  writings  he 
will  value,  and  also  use  to  better  purpose  than 
the  person  who  has  never  felt  the  power  of 
the  truth  ;  for  he  will  use  them  not  as  substi- 
tutes for  the  Bible,  but  as  helps  in  studying  the 
Bible.  In  the  scriptures  he  finds  the  source, 
the  foundation,  the  authority,  of  all  that  he  is 
taught  elsewhere.  There  he  has  a  treasure 
which  can  never  be  spent,  and  which  seems 
only  the  more  inexhaustible  every  time  he 
returns  to  it.  Moreover,  he  finds  that  the 
manner  in  which  the  doctrines,  and  precepts, 
and  religious  exercises,  recorded  in  scripture, 
are  presented  to  his  notice,  is  perfectly  free 
from  all  human  imperfection,  and  at  the 
same  time  perfectly  adapted  to  the  desires 
and  feelings  of  his  heart.  It  is  the  pure  un- 
diluted word  of  God  that  he  discovers  to  be 
more  precious  than  gold,  and  sweeter  than 
honey ;  and  the  most  valued  books,  and  the 
soundest  preaching,  are  prized  exactly  in 
proportion  as  they  draw  his  attention  to  that 
word,  and  enable  him  more  clearly  to  under- 
stand its  meaning. 

So  deeply  convinced  are  we  of  the  import- 
ance of  an  increased  attention  on  the  part  of 
professing  Christians  to  the  devotional  reading 
of  the  scriptures,  that  we  should  hail  it  as  a 
symptom  of  approaching  revival,  were  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel  and  others  interested  in  the 
success  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  to  make 


228  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

a  vigorous  effort  for  this  one  object.  There 
is  too  much  of  a  disposition  in  the  present 
day,  to  devolve  rehgious  duties  of  all  kinds 
almost  exclusively  upon  ministers.  They  are 
expected  to  labour  for  the  people,  to  pray  for 
the  people,  to  study  for  the  people.  In  one 
sense  all  this  is  right ;  but  no  real  good  will 
be  effected  unless  they,  at  the  same  time,  suc- 
ceed in  exciting  the  people  to  labour,  to  pray, 
and  to  study  for  themselves.  No  man  ever 
excelled  in  any  thing  in  w^hich  he  was  not  in 
some  sense  self-taught,  that  is,  in  which  he  did 
not  learn  to  think  and  act  for  himself.  Far 
be  it  from  us  to  encourage  a  haughty,  self- 
sufficient  spirit,  such  as  occasionally  leads 
persons  to  censure  all  they  hear ;  but  this  is  a 
spirit  which  will  not  be  fostered  by  the  exer- 
cise we  are  recommending.  That  familiarity 
with  the  word  of  God  which  is  acquired  by 
the  daily  and  prayerful  study  of  its  contents, 
is  a  totally  different  thing  from  the  knowledge 
which  puffeth  up.  It  implies  not  only  an  inti- 
mate acquaintance  with  the  doctrines  and 
even  the  words  of  scripture,  but  a  conformity 
of  heart  to  these  doctrines,  a  fellow-feeling 
with  the  inspired  writers  in  the  sentiments 
which  they  express,  and  in  their  mode  of  ex- 
pressing them;  a  communion  as  it  were  with 
the  mind  of  God  himself  as  contained  in  his 
word.  Every  one  is  aware  of  the  tendency 
of  intercourse  with  the  minds  of  others  to 
produce  an  assimilation  of  opinions,  of  tastes, 
and  of  enjoyments  ;  and  hence  the  importance 
of  associating:  with  the  wise  and  (jjood.     The 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  229 

acquaintance  with  scripture  of  which  we 
speak,  enables  its  possessor  to  breathe  the 
same  atmosphere  with  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles, the  holy  men  of  God,  of  former  ages. 
The  hopes,  the  fears,  the  desires,  the  enjoy- 
ments, the  perplexities,  the  experiences  of  his 
own  heart,  he  discovers  to  have  been  theirs 
also ;  a  discovery  which,  amid  the  jarring  and 
discordant  influences  of  an  ungodly  world,  is 
itself  most  delightful  and  refreshing.  Nay,  he 
is  elevated  to  a  holy  fellowship  with  the  exer* 
cises,  the  sorrows,  the  joys,  the  faith,  of  the 
Son  of  God  himself.  *'  That  which  we  have 
seen  and  heard,"  says  the  beloved  disciple, 
"  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may  have 
fellowship  with  us ;  and  truly  our  fellowship 
is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ."  1  John  i.  3. 

It  is  proper  that  something  should  be  said 
as  to  the  manner  of  reading  the  scriptures,  in 
order  that  such  happy  results  may  be  produc- 
ed. It  is  obvious  that  they  must  be  read  with 
attention,  with  faith,  with  humility,  with  self- 
application,  and  with  fervent  prayer.  They 
must  also  be  read  not  merely  occasionally  and 
when  inclination  prompts,  but  daily  and  regu- 
larly, so  as  to  form  a  constant  habit.  Many 
facilities  have  been  provided  for  maintaining 
regularity  in  this  matter.  Scripture  calendars 
have  been  written,  showing  how  the  entire 
Bible  may  be  read  through  in  the  course  of  a 
year  by  perusing  a  few  chapters  daily.  To 
some,  works  of  this  kind  may,  from  difference 
of  taste  or  disposition,  be  more  useful  than  to 

20 


230  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

Others  :  perhaps  the  best  way  is,  for  every  in- 
dividual to  form  a  plan  for  himself,  and  to  ad- 
here to  it  invariably.  At  the  same  time,  the 
scriptures  should  also  be  read  with  special 
reference  to  the  circumstances  in  which  we 
may  be  placed,  the  state  of  mind  produced  by 
these  circumstances,  the  duties  we  are  re- 
quired to  perform,  or  the  sufferings  we  may 
be  called  upon  to  bear.  Every  experienced 
Christian  knows  that  certain  portions  of  the 
word  of  God  are  specially  suited  to  him  at 
one  time,  and  other  portions  are  more  suitable 
at  other  times.  Some  passages  also  are  more 
frequently  perused  than  others,  not  because  in 
themselves  more  excellent,  but  on  account  of 
their  having  been  rendered  peculiarly  sweet 
and  precious  to  the  soul.  That  illumination 
by  which  the  truth,  and  beauty,  and  suitable- 
ness of  the  divine  word  are  discovered,  is 
gradual  and  progressive.  The  light  of  the 
Spirit  shines  upon  one  promise  after  another, 
and  in  proportion  as  it  is  continued,  the  bound- 
less riches  of  the  sacred  oracles  are  more  and 
more  brought  to  view. 

"  Remember  the  word  unto  thy  servant, 
upon  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope." 
Psa.  cxix.  49.  Such  is  the  lanfi;uao;e  of  Da- 
vid,  and  it  teaches  us  that  God  not  only  gives 
his  people  the  promises  contained  in  his  word, 
but  also  by  the  operation  of  his  grace  in  their 
hearts,  causes  them  to  hope  in  these  promises. 
So  obstinate  and  unbelievinsr  is  the  heart  of 
man,  that  the  clearest  revelations  of  mercy, 
and  the  most  condescending  offers  of  salva- 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  231 

tion,  awaken  neither  gratitude  nor  hope,  un- 
less accompanied  by  the  enlightening  influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is,  therefore,  a  high 
privilege  conferred  upon  any  one,  when  he  is 
enabled  to  speak  of  any  portion  of  scripture  as 
the  word  upon  which  God  has  caused  him  to 
hope,  and  it  greatly  adds  to  his  encourage- 
ment in  prayer.  True,  the  word  of  God  it- 
self, and  not  any  feeling  it  may  produce  in 
our  minds,  is  the  proper  ground  of  confidence, 
but  the  influence  of  which  we  speak  merely 
discloses  to  the  soul  what  the  word  contains. 
It  makes  no  discovery  of  any  new  truth,  far 
less  does  it  lead  the  individual  to  look  to  his 
own  frames  and  feelings  in  preference  to  the 
scriptures ;  but  it  makes  many  portions  of 
scripture  which  were  formerly  only  a  dead 
letter,  to  be  understood  and  appreciated,  and 
their  beauty  and  truth  to  be  so  perceived  as 
to  fill  the  heart  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory. 

The  devout  reader  of  scripture  will  there- 
fore find  it  both  profitable  and  pleasant  to  fol- 
low often  his  own  inclination,  in  selecting  for 
his  private  perusal  those  passages  which  he 
loves  and  on  which  he  finds  it  peculiarly  pro- 
fitable to  meditate.  At  the  same  time  it  will 
be  of  great  advantage  to  have  a  systematic 
plan  of  reading  the  Bible  from  beginning  to 
end.  This  will  prevent  any  of  the  sacred 
books  from  being  overlooked  or  neglected,  of 
which  there  would  be  some  danger  were  no 
rule  followed  except  the  inclination  of  the  mo- 
ment.   It  will  also  supply  immediate  and  pro- 


232  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

fitable  employment  whenever  the  hour  of  de- 
votion returns,  even  although  the  mind  should 
be  in  a  frame  so  languid  and  indifferent  as  to 
have  no  present  relish  for  any  particular  por- 
tion of  the  divine  w^ord.  Thus  also  will  the 
person  be  less  liable  to  allow  the  solicitations 
of  sloth  and  indolence  to  interfere  with  his 
devotional  exercises.  The  motive  arising  from 
the  desire  to  preserve  the  habit  of  daily  read- 
ing his  regular  portion,  is  confessedly  an  in- 
ferior one,  and  where  no  higher  sentiment 
exists,  the  individual  sinks  down  to  a  mere 
formalist.  Yet  even  this  inferior  motive  may 
come  to  the  aid  of  loftier  principles.  As  it 
would  not  be  safe  or  wise  for  the  holiest  and 
most  devout  Christian  to  lay  aside  the  obser- 
vation of  the  regular  seasons  of  prayer,  on  the 
ground  that  he  resolved  to  pray  whenever  he 
felt  inclined ;  so  neither  would  it  be  advan- 
tageous, but  the  reverse,  for  any  one  to  disre- 
gard every  kind  of  attention  to  system  in  read- 
ing the  scriptures,  with  the  resolution  of  being 
guided  exclusively  by  the  spontaneous  impulse 
of  his  own  feelings.  In  either  case,  the  duties 
m  question  would  often  be  imperfectly  dis- 
charged, and  not  unfrequently  altogether 
omitted. 

When  the  scriptures  are  read  for  the  pur- 
pose of  general  improvement  and  of  increas- 
ing our  acquaintance  with  them,  it  may  be 
proper  sometimes  to  peruse  a  large  portion  at 
once,  a  considerable  number  of  chapters,  or 
an  entire  book ;  and  at  other  times  to  confine 
our  attention  to  a  few  verses,  or  even  to  a 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  233 

single  sentence.  Bv  the  former  method  there 
is  obtained  a  general  view  of  the  character 
and  scope  of  the  several  books;  by  the  latter  a 
more  minute  and  accurate  kind  of  knowledge 
is  acquired  of  particular  parts.  The  biblical 
student  will  also  find  it  profitable  sometimes 
to  read  carefully  the  sacred  text  by  itself,  and 
at  other  times  to  avail  himself  of  the  aid  of 
commentaries.  The  use  of  scripture  references 
also,  and  the  comparison  of  one  passage  with 
another  so  as  to  make  scripture  its  own  inter- 
preter, cannot  be  too  highly  recommended. 
These  various  methods  of  studying  the  divine 
word  are  available,  not  only  to  those  whose 
duty  it  is  to  prepare  themselves  for  expound- 
ing it  to  others,  but  also  to  all  Christians  how- 
ever humble  their  sphere.  It  is  the  business 
of  every  true  follower  of  Christ  to  make  that 
blessed  book  in  which  the  Saviour  is  revealed 
his  daily  and  constant  companion,  and  no 
means  within  his  reach  should  be  left  untried 
for  rendering  him  more  intelligently  familiar 
with  its  sacred  contents.  Above  all,  let  the 
teachinsT  of  the  Holy  Spirit  be  specially  re- 
quested for  this  purpose.  "  Teach  me,  O  Lord, 
the  way  of  thy  statutes,  and  I  shall  keep  it 
unto  the  end.  Give  me  understanding,  and 
I  shall  keep  thy  law ;  yea,  I  shall  observe 
it  with  m};^  whole  heart."  Psalm  cxix.  33,  34. 
But  as  it  is  not  so  much  with  a  view  to 
general  improvement,  as  to  the  production  of 
gracious  principles  and  devout  feelings  that 
we  are  at  present  recommending  the  reading 
of  God's  word;  we  may  be  permitted  to  add 
20* 


234  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

that  a  very  close  or  critical  examination  of 
any  passage  whether  longer  or  shorter,  how- 
ever proper  at  other  times,  does  not  belong  to 
the  duties  of  the  closet.  Let  the  portion  of 
scripture  fixed  upon  for  devotional  reading  be 
carefully  and  deliberately  perused,  the  divine 
blessing  having  in  the  first  place  been  hum- 
bly and  fervently  supplicated.  If  wandering 
thoughts  have  prevented  the  attention  from  be- 
ing fixed  upon  the  passage,  let  it  be  read  a 
second  or  even  a  third  time.  It  is  much  bet- 
ter that  the  mind  be  really  brought  into  con- 
tact with  what  is  read,  though  but  a  small 
portion,  than  that  a  much  larger  passage  should 
be  gone  over  in  such  a  careless  manner,  as 
neither  to  awaken  the  attention  nor  to  impress 
the  memory.  Alas,  how  many  hear  the  scrip- 
tures daily  read  at  family  worship,  who  a 
few  minutes  afterwards,  could  give  no  more 
account  of  what  they  have  heard  than  if  they 
had  been  all  the  time  fast  asleep !  And  some 
it  is  to  be  feared  who  do  not  wholly  neglect 
reading  the  Bible  W'hen  alone,  might  discover 
in  themselves,  if  they  would  only  observe  it, 
almost  an  equal  degree  of  carelessness.  A 
conscientious  perusal  of  almost  any  portion  of 
scripture,  repeated  two  or  three  times,  will  in 
most  cases  suffice  to  brins^  the  substance  of 
what  is  read  clearly  before  the  mind  ;  and 
if  even  then  the  meaning  of  some  expressions 
is  not  fully  apprehended,  enough  will  be  un- 
derstood to  supply  materials  for  serious  reflec- 
tion. Instead  of  waiting  to  investigate  what 
may  still  be  obscure,  let  the  mind  be  given  to 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  235 

what  is  obvious,  as  that  which  indeed  is 
generally  most  important,  leaving  the  other 
for  examination  at  a  more  suitable  opportunity. 
And  now  let  the  worshipper  in  humble  suppli- 
cation directly  address  the  great  Hearer  of 
prayer,  availing  himself  freely  of  the  promises, 
encouragements,  and  directions  contained, 
whether  by  express  intimation  or  obvious  in- 
ference, in  the  passage  he  has  read. 

To  illustrate  what  we  mean  in  the  most 
simple  manner,  let  us  suppose  the  first  Psalm 
repeatedly  perused  as  now  recommended,  and 
the  reader  proceeding  to  make  use  of  it  in 
prayer.  His  eye  again  falls  upon  the  words, 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the 
counsel  of  the  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in  the 
way  of  sinners,  nor  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  .the 
scornful :  but  his  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the 
Lord ;  and  in  his  law  doth  he  meditate  day 
and  night."  The  reflections  that  will  occur 
to  his  mind  will  probably  be  somewhat  to  the 
following  eflfect : — Do  I  agree  with  the  psalm- 
ist in  what  he  here  states  ?  Are  my  thoughts 
expressed  in  these  words  ?  Is  it  really  my 
opinion  that  he  alone  is  blessed  who  avoids 
the  society  of  the  ungodly,  the  wicked,  and 
the  scornful,  and  who  meditates  on  the  law 
of  the  Lord  by  day  and  by  night?  If  this  is 
my  opinion  have  I  acted  accordingly  1  Have 
I  the  blessedness  which  arises  from  the  course 
of  life  here  described  ?  Is  it  my  practice  to 
keep  at  a  distance  from  the  ways  of  the 
wicked,  and  to  delight  myself  by  meditating 
upon  the  divine  law  ?     Alas,  has  not  my  con 


236  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

duct  in  many  instances  been  the  opposite  of 
all  this !  Let  me  now  confess  freely  and  fully 
wherein  I  have  erred  in  these  particulars,  let 
me  implore  forgiveness,  and  entreat  that  I 
may  receive  grace  to  follow  the  course  which 
is  here  indicated,  and  to  know  by  experience 
how  blessed  is  the  man  whose  character  is 
thus  described. 

We  cannot  wait  to  follow  out  these  reflec- 
tions at  greater  length ;  but  let  us  turn  to  an- 
other passage,  one  of  the  penitential  psalms, 
the  32d, — "  Blessed  is  he  whose  transgression 
is  forgiven,  whose  sin  is  covered."  Do  these 
words  express  my  sentiments?  Am  I  deeply 
convinced  that  the  man  whose  transgressions 
are  forgiven  is  truly  blessed '?  Do  1  know 
this  by  experience  ?  Have  I  reason  to  hope 
that  my  sins  are  forgiven,  and  that  the  bless- 
edness arising  from  forgiveness  is  mine  ?  Or 
am  I  still  unpardoned,  and  in  a  state  of  con- 
demnation ?  If  the  former  is  my  situation,  let 
me  sing  the  praises  of  that  rich  grace  to 
w^hich  I  am  so  deeply  indebted ;  if  the  latter, 
let  me  implore  the  divine  mercy,  that  I  may 
feel  the  guilt  and  demerit  of  my  sin,  and  be 
enabled  to  accept  of  that  forgiveness  which  is 
so  graciously  offered. — "  I  acknowledge  my 
sin  unto  thee,  and  mine  iniquity  have  I  not 
hid.  I  said  I  will  confess  my  transgressions 
unto  the  Lord ;  and  thou  forgavest  the  iniqui- 
ty of  my  sin."  Here  I  have  an  account  of 
the  exercise  of  one  who  souo-ht  and  found  the 
rich  blessing  of  forgiveness.  Let  me  at  the 
present  moment  imitate  his  example,  confess- 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  237 

ing  my  sins  one  by  one,  with  all  their  aggra- 
vations, before  that  blessed  One  who  is  ready 
to  pardon. — "  Thou  art  my  hiding-place ;  thou 
shalt  preserve  me  from  trouble;  thou  shalt 
compass  me  about  with  songs  of  dehverance." 
Can  1  adopt  this  language?  Can  I  at  least 
be  thankful  that  sinners  naturally  as  unworthy 
as  myself  have  been  enabled  to  use  it  ?  Let 
me  make  it  my  unceasing  prayer  that  the 
confidence  here  expressed  may  be  mine,  that 
the  songs  of  deliverance  with  which  the  right- 
eous are  compassed  about,  may  be  put  into 
my  Hps. — "  I  will  instruct  thee,  and  teach  thee 
in  the  way  that  thou  shalt  go :  I  will  guide 
thee  with  mine  eye."  This  is  a  most  gra- 
cious promise,  am  I  able  to  depend  upon  it  1 
Am  I  willing  to  be  instructed  and  taught  by 
God,  and  to  have  all  my  footsteps  guided  by 
Him  ?  Have  I  already  experienced  the  truth 
of  this  promise,  and  felt  how  good  and  safe  it 
is  to  be  directed  by  divine  wisdom  as  well  as 
protected  by  divine  power?  And  yet  have  I 
not  too  often  preferred  my  own  will  to  the 
will  of  God,  and  my  own  wisdom  to  his? 
Let  me  now  confess  how  much  I  have  erred 
in  this  matter,  and  supplicate  grace  to  prize 
more  highly  such  a  gracious  promise,  and  to 
rely  more  imphcitly  upon  its  accomplishment. 
It  is  not  necessary  that  we  should  multiply 
illustrations  of  this  kind.  Our  object  will  be 
gained  if  we  can  persuade  such  of  our  readers 
as  are  unaccustomed  to  use  the  word  of  God 
in  this  manner,  to  make  the  attempt  for  them 
selves.     Strange  as  it  may  seem,  we  believe 


238  READING    THE    SCPvIPTURES. 

that  many  are  deterred  from  the  devotional 
reading  of  the  scriptures  because  they  really 
do  not  know  how  to  proceed;  and  they  have 
no  idea  of  any  assistance  in  prayer  but  that 
which  is  derived  from  the  use  of  a  written 
form.  If  such  persons  would  learn  to  rely 
upon  the  direction  of  God's  word,  and  the  in- 
ward teaching  of  his  Spirit,  they  w^ould  speed- 
ily find  themselves  on  the  way  to  improve- 
ment. They  would  soon  discover  that  there 
is  much,  very  much,  in  the  word  of  God 
which  any  attentive  reader,  however  humble, 
can  easily  apprehend.  This  would  give  them 
confidence  to  persevere ;  and  in  nothing  will 
perseverance  more  certainly  make  a  work 
easy  and  prosperous  than  in  a  prayerful  study 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

Almost  any  portion  of  the  Bible  will  furnish 
matter  of  prayer,  if  the  following  simple  rules 
are  observed.  First,  consider  whether  the 
doctrine  taught,  or  the  sentiment  expressed, 
corresponds  with  your  own  views  and  feel- 
ings. It  either  does,  or  it  does  not.  If  it 
does,  then,  secondly,  give  utterance  in  prayer 
to  the  corresponding  feeling,  whether  of  the 
nature  of  faith  or  repentance,  or  love,  or  sub- 
mission, or  hope,  or  desire.  If  it  does  not, 
then,  in  the  third  place,  inquire  how  far  your 
present  mind  and  inclination  are  at  variance 
with  those  of  the  inspired  writer,  and  pray 
that  they  may  be  brought  into  accordance 
with  what  you  read.  Perhaps  few  exercises 
would  be  more  profitable  than  that  of  reading 
deliberately  Psalm  cxix.,  and  pausing  at  the 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  239 

end  of  every  verse,  to  inquire  how  far  you 
can  adopt  the  language  of  David  as  your  own. 
In  that  most  interesting  portion  of  the  divine 
word,  there  is  not  a  sentiment  to  which  the 
unrenewed  heart  can  sincerely  say  Amen, 
whilst  every  expression  is  in  harmony  with 
the  breathings  of  a  heaven-born  soul.  Ask 
your  own  heart  whether  you  can,  with  Da- 
vid, address  to  God  such  desires  as  the  fol- 
lowing : — "  O  that  my  ways  were  directed  to 
keep  thy  statutes."  "  My  soul  breaketh  for 
the  longing  that  it  hath  unto  thy  judgments  at 
all  times."  "  Make  me  to  go  in  the  path  of 
thv  commandments ;  for  therein  do  I  deliorht." 
Inquire  how  far  you  can  say  with  truth,  "  I 
will  never  forget  thy  precepts;  for  with  them 
thou  hast  quickened  me."  "  O  how  love  I 
thy  law  !  it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day." 
"  How  sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  taste ! 
yea,  sweeter  than  honey  to  my  mouth."  It  is 
not,  indeed,  every  Christian,  nor  any  Chris- 
tian, at  all  times,  who  could  declare  that  the 
feelings  here  expressed  exist  in  his  heart  in  a 
degree  corresponding  to  what  the  psalmist 
must  have  experienced  when  he  wrote  these 
words ;  but  every  true  believer  does  possess 
these  feelings  in  some  degree,  whilst  uncon- 
verted men  are  entire  strangers  to  them. 
Even  the  child  of  God,  therefore,  will  find 
such  inquiries  profitable,  as  he  will  thus  be 
reminded  of  his  imperfections,  the  feebleness 
of  his  gracious  principles,  and  the  strength  of 
indwelling  corruption.  By  surveying  himself 
in  the  glass  of  the  divine  word,  he  will  dis- 


240  READING    THE   SCRIPTURES. 

cover  how  far  he  comes  short  of  the  standard 
of  all  excellence.  But  how  much  more  im- 
portant the  course  we  are  recommending  to  a 
man  who  is  yet  in  his  sins,  and  who  has  never 
been  made  sensible  either  of  his  guilt  oi 
misery  !  If  such  a  person  could  be  prevailed 
upon  patiently  and  candidly  to  ask  his  own 
heart  questions  hke  the  above  (and  they  might 
with  the  greatest  ease  be  multiplied  to  any 
extent)  this  very  exercise  might  by  the  divine 
blessing  be  the  means  of  making  him  feel  that 
he  needs  entire  renovation  of  heart,  and  of 
pointing  his  desires  and  hopes  to  that  Saviour 
who  is  at  once  so  able  and  willing  to  bestow 
this  and  all  other  blessings.  At  all  events,  no 
One  can  fail  to  see  how  available  is  the  word 
of  God  for  supplying  materials  of  devout  me- 
ditation and  prayer. 

Nor  is  it  enough  that  we  make  it  our  aim  to 
enter  into  the  feelings  of  the  inspired  writers; 
we  must  seek  to  have  the  temper  and  habits 
which  they  describe.  The  word  of  God  must 
be  used,  not  only  to  awaken  proper  emotions, 
but  also  to  produce  a  corresponding  effect  on 
the  whole  character.  A  man  may  admire 
the  beauty  of  many  portions  of  scripture,  and 
seem  to  have  a  certain  poetical  sympathy 
with  the  sentiments  they  express,  who  has  yet 
no  value  for  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  revela- 
tion, nor  any  conformity  of  heart  and  life  to 
the  req  irements  of  the  gospel.  Let  no  one 
be  mistaken  here.  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall 
know  them,"  Matt.  vii.  20,  said  our  Lord,  of 
the  false  prophets;  and  by  the  same  test  are 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  241 

we  to  judge  of  every  thing  in  religion,  as  well 
as  the  character  of  its  professors.  Feelings 
and  emotions  of  all  kinds  are  to  be  judged  by 
their  fruits.  If  they  fail  to  render  their  pos- 
sessor more  holy,  more  humble,  more  self-de- 
nied,— if  they  encourage  pride,  vanity,  or  the 
love  of  ease,  they  are  not  truly  scriptural, 
whatever  indirect  connection  they  may  have 
with  the  scriptures.  The  apostle  James  ex- 
horts us  "  to  receive  with  meekness  the  in- 
grafted word,  which  is  able  to  save  our  souls." 
Chapter  i.  21.  The  expression  is  a  remark- 
able one,  and  seems  to  intimate  that  the  word 
of  God  not  only  enters  into  the  heart,  but  that 
it  remains  ;  and  as  if  ingrafted  there,  it  grows 
and  brings  forth  fruit,  assimilating,  by  a  grad- 
ual but  certain  process,  every  thing  there  to 
itself  The  scriptures  become  the  mould,  so 
to  speak,  in  which  the  character,  the  disposi- 
tions, the  motives,  the  habitual  course  of 
thought,  feeling,  and  action,  are  fashioned. 
Thus  that  same  precious  word  which  gives 
the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  presents  his  per- 
fect righteousness  as  the  only  foundation  on 
which  we  may  safely  rest  for  pardon  and  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  is  also  the  appointed  in- 
strument of  impressing  his  moral  image  on 
the  heart. 

In  conclusion,  we  cannot  be  too  thankf  d 
for  the  privilege  which,  as  protestants,  we 
enjoy,  of  reading  the  scriptures  in  our  own 
language,  and  of  examining  them  with  dili- 
geixe  and  prayer  every  man  for  himself. 
Our  gratitude  for  this  blessing  should  lead  us 

21 


( 

242  READING    THE    SCRIPTURES. 

not  only  to  a  high  appreciation  of  its  value, 
but  also  to  the  conscientious,  cheerful,  and 
daily  use  of  it.  While  we  denounce  the 
wickedness  of  that  system  which  prohibits  the 
common  people  from  perusing  the  word  ot 
God  for  themselves,  let  us  not  forget  the  deep 
responsibility  implied  in  the  happier  circum- 
stances in  which  we  are  placed.  Ought  not 
those  to  reflect,  who  allow  the  Bible  to  lie  on 
their  shelves  from  day  to  day  neglected  and 
unopened,  that  many  will  rise  in  the  judgment 
against  them,  who,  rather  than  be  restrained 
from  reading  that  word  which  they  found  to 
be  the  life  of  their  souls,  submitted  willingly 
to  imprisonment,  torture,  and  death  1  The 
time  may  not  be  far  distant  which  will  show, 
more  clearly  than  is  at  present  perceived,  the 
unspeakable  value  of  the  privileges  we  at 
present  enjoy.  The  antichristian  system 
seems  everywhere  to  be  recovering  strength  ; 
infidelity,  in  its  grossest  form,  is  also  making 
progress.  Under  God,  there  is  no  defence 
against  the  one  and  the  other  so  effectual  as 
would  be  provided  by  an  increased  attention, 
among  all  classes,  to  the  private  and  devo- 
tional reading  of  the  scriptures.  Let  parents 
train  their  children  to  the  habit  of  regularly 
practising  this  duty.  It  is  not  enough  that 
they  be  told  of  its  importance,  and  enjoined 
to  perform  it ;  parents  must  make  it  their  care 
to  have  it  actually  performed.  In  nothing  is 
the  distinction  between  teaching  and  training 
more  important  than  in  this.  A  child  who  is 
merely  told  that  he  ought  to  read  the  scrip- 


READING    THE    SCRIPTURES.  243 

lures  with  prayer  every  morning  and  evening, 
will,  if  he  is  of  an  obedient  disposition,  do 
what  he  has  been  told,  once  or  perhaps  twice, 
after  he  has  received  the  injunction;  but 
unless  he  is  constantly  reminded,  or  has  the 
advantage  of  a  habit  already  formed,  the 
matter  will  there  rest,  till  at  some  distant 
period  the  injunction  is  renewed,  and  again 
once  or  twice  the  duty  will  be  remembered. 
Oh,  if  parents  would  attend  as  they  ought  to 
this  matter, — which,  if  they  are  themselves 
daily  feeding  upon  the  divine  word,  would  be 
an  easy  task, — they  might  hope,  under  the 
teaching  of  the  Spirit,  to  render  their  children 
wise,  happy,  useful,  and  truly  prosperous,  as 
long  as  they  live,  and  to  prepare  them  for  that 
time  of  trial  which  is  awaiting  the  church 
and  the  nations.  No  one  can  enumerate  the 
advantages  which  he  possesses,  to  whom  it 
can  be  said,  "  From  a  child  thou  hast  known 
the  holy  scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make 
thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith,  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus."    2  Tim.  iii.  15. 


CHAPTER  XL 


WATCHFULNESS. 


That  the  exercise  denoted  by  the  word  we 
have  placed  at  the  head  of  this  cliapter  is  of 
great  importance,  may  be  inferred  both  from 
its  own  nature,  and  from  the  frequency  with 
which  it  is  inculcated.  Watchfulness  sup- 
poses the  apprehension  of  danger,  together 
with  an  uncertainty  as  to  the  time  or  manner 
in  which  the  threatened  evil  may  overtake  us. 
It  also  supposes  that  by  forethought,  prepara- 
tion, and  constant  care,  there  is  a  prospect  of 
warding  off  the  evil,  which  is  of  such  a  kind 
as  to  make  its  approaches  w^hen  w^e  are  off 
our  guard.  From  the  manner  in  which  w^atch- 
fulness  is  spoken  of  in  the  word  of  God,  we 
must  infer  that  the  dangers  which  beset  the 
Christian  in  his  whole  course,  and  in  particular 
which  attend  his  devotional  exercises,  are 
neither  few  nor  small. 

Our  Lord  inculcates  the  duty  in  question, 
when  he  speaks  of  what  is  required  of  us  in 
reference  to  his  second  coming.  "For  the 
Son  of  man  is  as  a  man  taking  a  long  journey, 
wdio  left  his  house,  and  gave  authority  to  his 
servants,  and  to  every  man  his  work,  and 
commanded  the  porter  to  watch.  Watch  ye 
therefore:  for  ye  know  not  when  the  master 
of  the  house  cometh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight, 
244 


WATCHFULNESS.  245 

or  at  the  cock-crowing,  or  in  the  morning ; 
lest  coming  suddenly,  he  find  you  sleeping. 
And  what  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  all, 
Watch."  Mark  xiii.  34—37.  The  exhorta- 
tion contained  in  these  words  is  recorded  by 
three  of  the  evangelists,  and  by  Matthew  and 
Mark  it  is  frequently  repeated,  as  something 
to  which  their  Master  was  accustomed  oft- 
times  and  emphatically  to  direct  their  atten- 
tion. It  is  not  consistent  with  our  present 
object  to  enter  on  the  consideration  of  the 
argument  for  watchfulness  contained  in  this 
and  the  parallel  passages ;  but  it  may  be  men- 
tioned as  a  circumstance  claiming  our  atten- 
tion, that  one  reason  why  "  that  day  and  hour" 
are  kept  so  completely  a  secret,  is  that  we 
may  be  kept  watchful  Not  only  has  God  re- 
quired us  to  watch  because,  for  reasons  which 
are  fully  known  to  none  but  himself,  the  day 
of  death  and  the  day  of  judgment  are  con- 
cealed from  us ;  but  we  have  ground  for  be- 
lieving that  he  has  exercised  this  concealment 
because,  among  other  reasons,  he  knows  that 
the  exercise  of  watching  is  of  itself  in  many 
ways  advantageous. 

The  connection  between  watchfulness  and 
prayer,  is  frequently  brought  under  our  notice. 
"  Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into 
temptation,"  Mat.  xxvi.  41,  said  our  Lord  to 
his  disciples  on  the  night  in  which  he  was  be- 
trayed, in  view  of  that  trial  of  their  faith  which 
awaited  them,  unprepared  as  they  were  for 
his  apprehension  and  death.  ^'  The  end  of  all 
things  is  at  hand,"  says  Peter,  "  be  ve  there- 

21* 


246  WATCHFULNESS. 

fore  sober  and  watch  unto  prayer."  1  Peter 
iv.  7.  And  to  the  same  purpose  Paul  writes, 
"  continue  in  prayer,  and  watch  in  the  same 
with  thanksgiving."  Col.  iv.  2,  "  Praying 
always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the 
Spirit,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all  perse- 
verance and  supplication  for  all  saints."  Eph. 
vi.  18.  By  these  passages  it  is  clearly  taught 
that  watchfulness  is  a  necessary  concomitant, 
not  only  of  prayer  in  general,  but  also  of  every 
part  of  prayer,  of  thanksgiving,  and  interces- 
sion, as  well  as  petition,  and  that  without  con- 
stant vigilance  our  devotional  exercises  will 
either  be  entirely  omitted,  or  if  not,  will  at 
least  be  wholly  unprofitable. 

We  can  be  at  no  loss  to  understand  how  this 
should  be  the  case,  if  we  consider  the  charac- 
ter of  those  unseen  enemies  with  which  the 
true  worshipper  has  to  contend.  The  god  of 
this  world,  who  blinds  the  minds  of  them  that 
believe  not,  will  spare  no  pains  to  prevent  an 
exercise  so  fatal  to  his  dominion  as  that  of 
prayer.  To  what  extent  this  wicked  spirit 
may  be  suffered  to  influence  the  afl^airs  of  this 
w^orld,  it  is  not  for  us  to  say:  we  should  be 
thankful  to  know  that  all  his  desi2:ns  are  known 
and  his  operations  controlled,  by  One  whom 
he  hates  as  his  conqueror,  but  to  whom  he 
is  compelled  to  submit.  But  when  it  is  con- 
sidered that  he  has  access  to  the  human 
heart  in  such  a  manner  as  to  present  tempta- 
tions and  suggest  sinful  thoughts  and  desires, 
it  is  obvious  that  he  has  the  power  of  influenc- 
ing the  actions  of  men,  and  consequently  their 


WATCHFULNESS.  247 

circumstances.  This  power  is  neither  uncon- 
trolled by  God  nor  irresistible  by  nnan,  nor  is 
it  of  a  kind  to  diminish  in  the  slightest  degree 
human  responsibility;  yet  its  existence  must 
never  be  either  denied  or  forgotten.  Not  only 
can  he  directly  operate  on  the  mind  of  the 
person  whom  he  wishes  to  deter  from  prayer, 
by  presenting  temptations  to  sloth,  to  procras- 
tination, or  to  some  kind  of  sinful  indulgence 
which  is  always  sure  to  alienate  the  heart 
from  God ;  but  by  operating  on  the  minds  of 
others  around,  he  may  render  them  the  instru- 
ments of  leading  the  individual  into  tempta- 
tion. In  addition  to  all  this,  there  is  the  natural 
and  powerful  disinclination  of  the  heart  to  all 
devotional  exercises,  and  especially  to  those 
of  the  closet.  Satan  has,  alas !  materials 
within  us  on  which  to  operate,  which  are  only 
too  favourable  to  his  wicked  and  destructive 
designs.  The  example  of  an  ungodly  world, 
and  even  the  cares  of  business,  not  to  speak 
of  the  seductions  of  forbidden  pleasure,  have 
all  a  constant  tendency  to  withdraw  the  mind 
from  religious  exercises.  These  causes,  ope- 
rating singly  and  in  every  variety  of  combina- 
tion, keep  the  great  bulk  of  mankind  at  a  dis- 
tance from  God  and  from  salvation;  and 
whenever  any  one  has  become  so  far  con- 
vinced of  the  paramount  importance  of  reli- 
gion as  to  resolve  to  give  himself  regularly  to 
prayer,  he  will  encounter  the  full  force  of  their 
opposition. 

But  powerful  as  these  enemies  are,  they 
may,  under  the  blessing  of  God,  be  counter- 


248  WATCHFULNESS. 

acted  by  watchfulness.  Satan  can  compel  no 
one  either  to  commit  sin  or  to  neglect  duty, 
against  his  will.  Neither  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness, nor  the  influence  of  the  world,  nor  the 
example  of  the  wicked,  can  compel  any  one, 
contrary  to  his  inclination,  to  refrain  from 
prayer.  "  Who  is  he  that  will  harm  you  if  ye 
be  followers  of  that  which  is  good  ?"  1  Peter 
iii.  13.  The  man  who  receives  grace  to  prac- 
tise habitual  vigilance,  is  in  safety. 

Watchfulness  might  be  regarded  as  a  Chris- 
tian duty,  necessary  and  important  on  its  own 
account,  as  well  as  from  its  connection  with 
the  regular  duties  of  devotion.  We  ought  to 
watch  the  dealings  of  providence  towards  our- 
selves, towards  the  church,  and  towards  the 
world.  We  ought  to  watch  the  advance  of 
time,  and  our  own  progress  towards  eternity. 
We  ought  to  watch  for  the  accomplishment 
of  those  promises  upon  which  rest  our  hopes 
as  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  the  conversion 
of  the  world,  and  the  univ^ersal  establishment  of 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  As  professors  of  re- 
ligion we  ought  to  watch  the  progress  of  grace 
in  our  hearts,  the  gradual  weakening  of  the 
principles  of  sin,  the  advancement  of  holiness, 
spirituality,  and  heavenliness  of  mind.  And 
as  still  encompassed  with  infirmity,  we  must 
"watch  the  strength  of  indwelling  corruption, 
and  the  temptations  by  which  we  are  most 
easily  led  astray.  All  these  are  topics  to 
which  our  attention  is  necessarily  directed  in 
prayer,  and  in  proportion  as  watchfulness  is 
exercised  regarding  them,  will  they  suggest 


^WATCHFULNESS.  249 

matter  of  petition,  confession,  thanksgiving, 
and  intercession. 

But  it  is  to  the  operation  of  those  enemies 
of  which  we  have  spoken  that  Christian  vigi- 
lance must  chiefly  be  directed.  There  are 
many  ways  in  which  they  inflict  injury ;  but 
in  none  more  than  by  their  influence  upon  de- 
votion. Tending  constantly  to  produce  a 
strong  disinclination  to  secret  prayer,  they 
cause  this  duty  to  be  first  very  carelessly  per- 
formed, and  then  gradually  omitted.  Thus 
many  who  had  begun  to  think  seriously  about 
their  everlasting  welfare,  and  some  who  at 
one  time  made  a  fair  profession  and  even  ap- 
peared to  have  considerable  enjoyment  in 
divine  things,  have  returned  to  their  former 
habits  of  irreligion,  and  more  than  ever  lived 
without  God  in  the  world,  unblessed  in  time, 
unprepared  for  eternity.  The  latter  end  of 
such  persons  is  worse  than  the  beginning :  it 
would  have  been  better  for  them  if  they  had 
not  been  born. 

That  it  may  be  distinctly  perceived  how  the 
watchfulness  of  w^hich  we  speak  is  to  be  ex- 
ercised, let  us  invite  attention  to  a  few  plain 
and  simple  directions,  which,  by  the  divine 
blessing,  may  be  useful  to  those  who  are  truly 
desirous  of  forming  devotional  habits. 

In  the  first  place,  watch  for  the  regular  op- 
portunities of  prayer.  We  take  for  granted 
that,  agreeably  to  what  was  said  in  a  former 
chapter,  the  serious  reader  has  a  regular  time 
and  place  set  apart  for  secret  devotion.  But 
the  season  so  set  apart  requires  to  be  carefully 


250  WATCHFULNESS.  ' 

guarded.  If  this  is  not  done,  other  things  will 
constantly  occur  to  distract  the  attention,  and 
to  fill  every  leisure  moment.  It  should  be 
habitually  remembered  that  the  danger  of  per- 
forming the  duties  of  the  closet  in  a  careless, 
hasty,  and  unprofitable  manner,  is  one  of  daily 
occurrence,  and  from  which  it  is  impossible 
to  escape  without  unremitting  watchfulness. 
Here,  as  in  many  other  things,  if  a  man  is  in 
earnest,  experience  will  come  to  his  aid.  He 
will  remember  the  circumstances  in  which 
business,  or  pleasure,  or  social  intercourse,  or 
even  a  favourite  study,  left  him  no  time  for 
prayer,  or  rendered  his  mind  unfit  for  the  ex- 
ercise ;  and  will  learn  how  the  same  evil  may 
be  prevented  in  time  to  come.  Oh,  if  we  had 
only  a  tithe  of  the  wisdom,  the  prudence,  the 
forethought,  the  watchfulness  which  the  men 
of  the  world  constantly  exercise  about  secular 
affairs,  how  easy  would  it  be  to  appropriate 
much  more  of  our  time  than  we  do  to  com- 
munion with  God. 

And  here  w^e  may  be  permitted  to  remark 
the  efficacy  of  watchfulness  in  securing  regu- 
larity in  all  the  duties  of  religion,  public  and 
social  as  well  as  secret.  Look,  for  example, 
at  its  effect  in  enabling  any  one  who  has  the 
opportunity  of  doing  so  within  his  reach,  to 
wait  statedly  upon  a  private  fellowship  prayer 
meeting.  Without  some  little  degree  of  fore- 
thought, the  time  for  going  to  such  a  meeting 
is  perhaps  forgotten,  or  when  it  arrives,  the 
individual  is  surrounded  with  various  engage- 
ments of  less  or  more  importance  from  which 


WATCHFULNESS.  251 

he  cannot  make  his  escape.  Thus  an  import- 
ant duty  is  neglected,  and  an  example  of  care- 
lessness, which  is  sure  to  be  imitated,  set  be- 
fore his  brethren.  But  how  easily  might  all 
this  be  avoided  ?  A  little  of  that  watchfulness 
of  which  we  speak  would  not  only  prevent  all 
danger  of  the  meeting  and  its  business  being 
forgotten,  but  would  also,  without  the  slightest 
inconvenience,  secure  the  necessary  leisure. 

Secondly :  We  ought  to  watch  for  special 
opportunities  of  prayer.  David  was  not  con- 
tented with  worshipping  God  at  the  regular 
services  of  morning  and  evening.  He  speaks 
sometimes  of  praising  God  seven  times  a-day; 
nay,  of  waiting  on  him  all  the  day,  and  even 
of  rising  at  midnight  to  engage  in  the  same 
exercise.  In  this  spirit  all  must  act  who 
would  live  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  maintain 
habitual  communion  with  their  heavenly  Fa- 
ther. Every  thing  here  depends  upon  watch- 
fulness. When  a  person  is  really  watching 
for  opportunities  of  doing  any  thing,  it  is 
astonishing  how  many  he  will  find.  The 
sluggard,  always  behind  with  his  work,  can 
find  time  for  nothins;,  and  wonders  how  others 
can  accomplish  so  much  more  than  he  is  able 
to  overtake.  The  person  of  active  habits,  on 
the  contrary,  has  leisure  for  every  thing ;  and 
one  cause  of  this  superiority  is,  that  he  has 
learned  forethought  and  vigilance.  Let  those 
who  would  experience  the  advantages  of 
prayer  go  and  do  likewise.  Let  them  seek  to 
understand  what  Paul  means  when  he  speaks 
of  "praying   always,  with   all   prayer   and 


252  WATCHFULNESS. 

supplication  in  the  spirit,  and  watching  there 
unto."     Their  opportunities  would  prove  suf- 
ficient, and  would  multiply  on  every  side,  if 
they   would   only   learn  to  seize    upon   and 
inaprove  them. 

In  the  third  place :  Let  us  notice  the 
importance  of  watchfulness  against  hinder- 
ances  to  prayer.  Hinderances  are  of  various 
kinds — external  and  internal,  direct  and  in- 
direct. By  external  hinderances  we  mean 
those  which  arise  from  secular  business  and 
the  ordinary  engagements  of  life.  By  internal 
hinderances  we  understand  those  which  are 
occasioned  by  indolence,  aversion  to  God, 
spiritual  idolatry,  and  sinful  desires.  But 
these  two  classes  of  obstacles  are  more  closely 
connected  than  might  at  first  sight  be  sup- 
posed. Difficulties  of  the  former  kind  would 
be  easily  overcome,  were  it  not  for  the  latter. 
A  little  of  the  care  and  attention  which  are 
constantly  employed  in  the  ordinary  affairs 
of  life,  would  suffice  to  enable  any  one  to 
maintain  devotional  habits  amid  the  greatest 
pressure  of  worldly  business ;  but  those  hin- 
derances which  exist  in  a  man's  own  bosom, 
are  not  to  be  set  aside  without  the  practice 
of  that  deeper  and  more  self-denying  watch- 
fulness with  which  only  true  Christians  are 
properly  acquainted.  When  the  slothful  man 
says,  "  there  is  a  lion  in  the  way,  a  lion  in  the 
streets,"  he  tries  to  persuade  himself  that  the 
obstacle,  which  exists  only  in  himself,  does 
really  beset  his  path  with  outward  and  visible 
danger.     Were  it  a  real  lion  it  might  be  slain, 


WATCHFULNESS.  253 

and  the  removal  of  such  a  formidable  enemy 
would  render  the  course  of  duty  easy  and 
safe  in  all  time  coming.  But  when  the 
opposition  is  seated  in  the  heart,  it  is  not  so 
easily  dislodged ;  for  however  often  resisted 
and  overcome,  it  will  recover  its  power. 
Sometimes,  indeed,  when  the  believer  is  made 
to  feel  how  good  it  is  to  draw  near  unto  God, 
and  is  permitted  to  taste  the  sweets  of  com- 
munion with  the  Saviour,  and  has  his  heart 
filled  to  overflowing  with  gratitude  for  the 
love  displayed  in  the  gospel, — he  is  ready  to 
say,  "  My  mountain  stands  strong,  I  shall  not 
be  moved."  In  these  favoured  moments,  it 
seems  impossible  that  he  should  ever  again 
depart  from  his  heavenly  Father,  or  regard 
with  indifference  the  privilege  of  drawing 
near  to  him  in  prayer.  The  power  of  sin 
seems  for  the  time  almost  wholly  destroyed  ; 
and  the  beauty,  safety,  and  propriety  of  holi- 
ness are  clearly  and  distinctly  perceived. 
But,  alas !  this  happy  state  of  things  is  not 
usually  of  long  continuance.  Satan  recovers 
his  power,  the  engrossing  cares  of  life  resume 
their  ascendency,  the  corrupt  dispositions  of 
the  heart  are  roused  from  their  temporary 
slumber,  the  pleasures  of  religion  lose  their 
charms,  the  maxims  and  ways  of  the  world 
resume  their  fair  and  plausible  aspect,  and 
the  duties  of  devotion  seem  cheerless  and  un- 
inviting. How  important  the  exhortation, 
"  Keep  thy  heart  wqth  all  diligence,  for  out 
of  it  are  the  issues  of  life." 

We  have  mentioned  a  distinction  between 
22 


254  WATCHFULNESS. 

direct  and  indirect  hinderances.  The  former 
operate  by  filling  up  the  lime  that  should  be 
given  to  prayer,  or  turning  the  thoughts  off  in 
another  channel,  or  suggesting  doubts  as  to 
the  utility  of  the  exercise  itself;  the  latter 
produce  their  effect  by  operating  upon  the 
mind  at  other  times,  and  inducing  a  general 
disinclination  for  devotional  exercises.  The 
hinderances  external  and  internal  already 
spoken  of,  may  be  considered  as  belonging 
chiefly  to  the  former  class ;  those  which  arise 
from  the  practice  of  sin  are  included  in  the 
latter.  A  life  of  wickedness  may  be  consist- 
ent with  hypocrisy,  or  even  with  superstition 
or  fanaticism  ;  but  it  never  can  consist  with 
true  and  simple-hearted  devotion.  It  may 
therefore  be  taken  for  granted  as  an  invariable 
rule,  that  in  proportion  as  you  indulge  in  sin 
you  disqualify  yourself  for  prayer.  The  man 
who,  whatever  his  professions,  indulges  in 
sinful  passions,  gives  utterance  to  false,  pro- 
fane, or  filthy  language,  practises  unfair 
dealing  in  his  worldly  transactions,  or  gives 
way  to  drunkenness  or  other  sinful  gratifica- 
tions, shows  plainly  enough  his  neglect  of 
secret  devotion.  We  need  no  information 
regarding  his  private  habits.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  enter  his  domestic  circle,  much  less  te 
invade  the  retirement  of  his  chamber,  to  un- 
derstand how  the  duties  of  family  and  personal 
religion  are  conducted.  These  duties,  if  still 
in  any  shape  observed,  are  reduced  to  a  mere 
shadow,  and  the  very  form  itself  will  soon 
take  its  departure.     In  restraining  men  from 


WATCHFULNESS.  255 

prayer,  it  is  easy  therefore  to  see  how  many 
means  Satan  has  at  his  disposal.  If  neither 
the  business  of  the  world  nor  the  solicitations 
of  sloth  can  be  directly  employed,  the  work 
of  mischief  may  still  more  effectually  be  ac- 
complished by  any  of  the  ten  thousand  seduc- 
tions of  sin.  "  Watch  and  pray,  lest  ye  enter 
into  temptation." 

It  may  be  expected  that  in  this  as  in  other 
respects,  most  danger  is  to  be  appprehended 
from  our  besetting  snis.  The  temptations 
which  are  most  congenial  to  a  man's  temper  and 
disposition,  or  which  through  long  habit  have 
obtained  the  greatest  mastery  over  him,  are 
those  which  Satan  is  most  likely  to  employ  in 
withdrawing  him  from  the  duty  of  prayer. 
The  deadly  nature  of  sin  appears,  not  only  in 
its  direct  opposition  to  the  divine  law,  but  also 
in  its  degrading  and  demoralizing  effect  upon 
the  mind  and  feelings,  hardening  the  consci- 
ence, rendering  the  heart  insensible  to  every 
good  impression,  and  the  will  opposed  to  every 
religious  duty.  If  men  would  only  look  at  the 
consequences  of  their  favourite  indulgences, 
and  observe  how  in  their  own  lives  sin  pro- 
duces ungodliness,  and  ungodliness  produces 
sin,  and  how  one  sin  leads  to  another,  and 
sinful  actions  to  wicked  habits,  the  heart 
meanwhile  becoming  more  and  more  con- 
firmed in  its  opposition  to  Christ,  and  to  the 
gospel,  and  to  the  means  of  grace,  they  would 
feel  the  propriety  of  the  apostle's  warning 
against  being  hardened  through  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  sin.     Even  among  the  best  and  the 


256  WATCHFULNESS. 

holiest  of  God's  people,  who  has  not  reason 
deeply  to  lament  the  loss  of  peace,  of  comfort, 
and  of  usefulness,  through  the  indirect  hinder- 
ances  to  prayer  of  which  we  speak  ? 

Here  then  is  abundant  oyjportunity  for  the 
exercise  of  watchfulness.  Watch  those  times 
when  prayer  is  felt  as  a  burden.  Examine 
what  have  been  the  causes  of  inducino;  this 
State  of  mind.  If  you  are  accustomed  to  the 
work  of  self-examination,  you  can  be  at  no 
loss  to  discover  these.  Observe  well  the 
times,  the  circumstances,  the  employments, 
the  society,  the  pleasures,  out  of  which  these 
causes  arise.  And  as  watchfulness  is  neces- 
sary to  perseverance  in  prayer,  so  prayer  is 
necessary  to  perseverance  in  watchfulness. 
When  you  feel  the  power  of  indwelling  cor- 
ruption too  great  for  your  feeble  strength  to 
resist,  or  when  you  become  weary  of  that 
continued  and  self-denying  vigilance  which  is 
necessary  to  your  safety,  flee  to  Jesus  for  pro- 
tection. Think  of  his  condescension,  his  love, 
his  sympathy,  his  knowledge  of  all  your  wants, 
his  ability  and  willingness  to  defend  you.  In 
such  circumstances  imitate  the  example  of 
David  when  he  says,  "  Deliver  me,  O  Lord, 
from  mine  enemies ;  I  flee  unto  thee  to  hide 
me."  Psa.  cxliii.  9. 

Let  us  notice,  in  the  fourth  place,  the  im 
portance  of  watching  against  the  first  ap- 
proaches to  neglect  of  prayer.  No  one  who 
has  been  accustomed  to  worship  God  in  se- 
cret, will  all  at  once  leave  off  this  duty.  In 
this  case,  as  in  all  others,  evil  makes  its  ad- 


WATCHFULNESS.  257 

varices  gradually ;  and  so  very  unobservant 
are  men  of  their  own  conduct,  however  ready 
to  notice  the  faults  of  their  neighbours,  that 
many  fall  into  a  course  of  backsliding  which 
is  obvious  to  those  around  them,  whilst  it 
seen^is  strangely  concealed  from  themselves. 
They  become  less  tender  in  their  walk,  less 
fearful  of  sin,  less  attentive  to  the  Sabbath  and 
to  public  ordinances,  less  regular  in  the  ob- 
servation of  family  worship  and  domestic  in- 
struction ;  and  the  concealed  though  certain 
concomitant  of  all  this  is,  that  they  have 
learned  to  restrain  prayer  before  God  in  the 
closet.  Guard  against  this  evil  in  its  com- 
mencement. Watch  with  a  jealous  eye  every 
tendency  to  remissness.  If  the  duties  of  se- 
cret devotion  are  neglected  or  hastily  per- 
formed to-day,  they  will  be  the  same  to-mor- 
row, and  every  day  after,  unless  God  in  some 
way  interfere  to  arrest  the  downward  course. 
And  let  a  time  be  specially  set  apart  at  the 
end  of  every  week,  to  enquire  whether  you 
are  making  progress  in  the  life  of  prayer  or 
the  contrary  ;  whether  each  passing  day  finds 
you  living  near  to  Christ  and  walking  with 
him  in  newness  of  life,  or  inwardly  departing 
from  him  and  taking  up  with  created  things 
as  your  portion.  These  questions  may  be  in 
a  great  measure  determined  by  a  simple  re- 
view from  week  to  week,  of  your  daily  trans- 
actions with  the  throne  of  grace. 

Let  us  also  recommend  the  exercise  of 
watching  the  unholy  spirit,  and  the  mixture 
of  impure  motives  with  which  the  duty  of 

22* 


258  WATCHFULNESS. 

prayer  is  often  connected.  Not  only  are  we 
prone  to  neglect  our  duty,  it  is  frequently  per- 
formed in  a  manner  that  might  justly  expose 
us  to  the  indignation  of  Jehovah.  In  the  time 
of  trouble,  how  much  more  ready  are  we  to 
olead  for  temporal  than  for  spiritual  deliver- 
ance !  When  we  are  made  to  smart  for  our 
ofiences,  how  much  more  are  we  grieved  on 
account  of  the  chastisement  than  on  account 
of  its  cause !  Even  when  we  pray  for  de- 
liverance from  temptation,  it  is  too  often  not 
from  any  real  hatred  of  sin  as  such,  or  any 
genuine  regard  to  the  commands  and  author- 
ity of  God,  but  from  a  dread  of  the  temporal  in- 
conveniences with  which  our  unholy  conduct 
may  be  attended.  How  common  is  it  to  ask 
and  receive  not,  because  we  ask  amiss  !  Here 
is  a  most  important  and  extensive  field  for 
watchfulness.  The  person  who  looks  narrow- 
ly into  his  own  heart,  and  who  observes  the 
circumstances  which  produce  perhaps  occa- 
sionally greater  regularity  and  fervency  in 
prayer,  will  soon  make  most  humiliating  dis- 
coveries. Very  frequently  will  it  appear  that 
the  sins  which  are  most  aggravated  are  not 
the  most  deeply  mourned,  that  the  blessings 
which  are  most  valuable  are  not  those  which 
excite  the  most  lively  gratitude,  that  the  mer- 
cies which  are  most  needed  are  not  those 
most  earnestly  sought.  Too  often  will  it  be 
discovered  that  in  prayer  the  great  aim  is  to 
have  the  external  duty  performed,  whilst  the 
interests  of  eternity  are  very  little  regarded, 
and  the  glory  of  God  scarcely  so  much  as 


WATCHFULNESS.  259 

thought  of.  How  commonly  is  self  the  be- 
ginning, middle,  and  end  of  all  the  pleasure 
we  have  in  doing  our  duty,  and  of  the  pain 
we  have  in  neglecting  it!  By  habitual  watch- 
fulness over  himself  in  these  respects,  a  man 
will  learn  more  in  a  few  weeks  of  the  evil  of 
his  own  heart,  and  of  his  real  wants  as  a  sin- 
ner, than  he  could  in  a  lifetime  by  merely 
going  the  round  of  devotional  observances. 

So  hable  are  w^e  to  deceive  ourselves  in  re- 
ference to  every  thing  connected  with  reli- 
gion, that  a  jealous  vigilance  becomes  neces- 
sary over  our  own  conduct,  as  to  those  very 
evils  and  dangers  whose  influence  upon  devo- 
tion we  profess  to  lament.  Many  who  com- 
plain of  indolence,  wandering  thoughts,  and 
cold  affections,  take  no  pains  to  overcome 
these  enemies.  It  is  always  easier  to  com- 
plain of  an  evil  than  to  make  a  vigorous  effort 
to  have  it  removed.  Nay,  the  heart  may  se- 
cretl  V  be  clinging  to  and  refusing  to  part  with 
what  is  spoken  of  by  the  lips  in  the  language 
of  lamentation.  This  subtle  hypocrisy,  which 
leads  a  person  to  deceive  himself,  demands 
the  closest  vigilance  for  many  reasons.  It  is 
in  itself  deeply  wicked  and  criminal,  and 
therefore  exceedingly  heinous  and  provoking 
in  the  sight  of  God.  It  destroys  all  hope  of 
deriving  profit  from  religious  duties,  and  re- 
duces devotion  to  a  mere  mockery.  There 
is  no  evil  to  which  any  one  is  liable  for  which 
the  gospel  does  not  provide  a  remedy.  The 
means  of  overcoming  every  difficulty  and  of 
vanquishing  every  enemy,  are  placed  within 


260  WATCHFULNESS. 

our  reach ;  and  if  we  continue  to  satisfy  our- 
selves with  mere  complaints,  instead  of  putting 
forth  vigorous  efforts  to  have  the  cause  of 
complaint  removed,  it  can  be  accounted  for 
in  no  other  way  than  that  in  which  our  Lord 
explains  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews,  "  Ye  will 
not  come  unto  me  that  ye  might  have  life." 
John  V.  40.  Let  the  reader  be  admonished 
to  guard  against  acting  in  this  manner.  Ob- 
serve diligently  what  are  the  hinderances 
which  most  frequently  obstruct  your  path  ; 
and  observe  also  how  far  you  exercise  dili- 
gence to  have  these  hinderances  removed. 
What  means  have  you  used  to  obtain  domi- 
nion over  sloth,  self-indulgence,  wandering 
desires,  worldly  affections  ?  How  often  have 
you  fasted,  and  wept,  and  prayed  over  those 
enemies,  and  fled  for  strength  and  protection 
to  Christ  ?  Our  prayers  for  spiritual  blessings 
cannot  be  sincere,  and  they  will  never  be  ac- 
cepted by  God,  unless  the  desire  by  which 
they  are  prompted  is  strong  enough  to  lead 
us  willingly,  laboriously,  perseveringly,  to  take 
any  amount  of  pains,  to  put  forth  any  degree 
of  exertion,  to  undergo  any  measure  of  toil 
and  self-denial,  for  the  attainment  of  what  we 
ask.  Till  a  man  is  prepared  for  this,  he  is 
never  really  in  earnest  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion ;  but  so  soon  as  he  is  so,  his  prayers  and 
pains-taking  will  assuredly  not  be  in  vain. 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  mer- 
chant-man seeking  goodly  pearls ;  who  when 
he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  went 


WATCHFULNESS.  261 

and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and  bought  it."  Matt 
xiii.  45,  46. 

There  is  a  promise  attached  to  the  exercise 
of  watchfuhiess,  as  connected  with  self-exam- 
ination, which  deserves  a  passing  notice. 
"  Let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him 

eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup 

For,  if  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should 
not  be  judged."  1  Cor.  xi.  28,  31.  It  is  here 
intimated  that,  for  a  man  to  examine  himself, 
is  the  same  thing  as  to  judge  himself.  Both 
tliese  ideas  include  watchfulness,  as  we  can 
neither  examine  nor  judge  ourselves  in  mat- 
ters which  we  have  not  observed.  Now,  the 
words  we  have  quoted  contain  a  promise  that, 
by  judging  ourselves,  we  may  hope  to  escape 
being  judged, — that  by  examining  ourselves, 
we  may  hope  to  escape  being  examined, — 
that  by  watching  ourselves,  we  may  avoid, 
not  indeed  the  watchfulness  of  Jehovah's  eye, 
but  the  terrible  vigilance  of  his  displeasure. 
It  is  remarkable  how  differently  the  exercise 
of  judging  ourselves  is  spoken  of  in  scripture, 
from  the  manner  in  which  our  judging  of 
others  is  characterized.  In  regard  to  the  lat- 
ter exercise,  our  Lord  says,  "  Judge  not,  that 
ye  be  not  judged ;"  Matt.  vii.  1.  the  inference 
from  which,  as  compared  with  the  language 
of  the  apostle,  is  that,  if  we  would  escape  the 
judgment  of  God,  we  must  at  once  leave  off 
judging  others,  and  begin  to  judge  ourselves. 
I'o  judge  our  neighbour,  and  to  neglect  judg- 
ing ourseh^es,  are  equally  wrong,  and  subject 
to  the  same  kind  of  punishment.     And  who 


262  WATCHFULNESS. 

will  say  that  God  is  not  able  to  judge,  to  ex- 
amine, to  search,  to  try,  and  to  make  us  feel 
that  he  is  narrowly  and  jealously  watching 
us  ?  "  It  shall  come  to  pass  at  that  time,  that 
,  I  will  search  Jerusalem  with  candles."  Zeph. 
i.  12.  The  omniscient  eye  of  God  needs  not 
the  assistance  of  any  candle  to  search  out  the 
hidden  things  of  darkness.  When  He  insti- 
tutes a  search,  it  is  for  the  purpose  of  adding, 
not  to  his  knowledge,  but  to  ours.  It  is  to 
make  men  acquainted  with  themselves,  to 
bring  to  light  their  own  true  feelings  and 
character.  Sometimes  \his  searching  may  be 
performed  in  mercy ;  and  in  this  view  the 
psalmist  prays  for  it,  when  he  says,  "  Search 
me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart ;  try  me,  and 
know  my  thoughts ;  and  see  if  there  be  any 
wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way 
everlasting."  Psa.  cxxxix.  23,  24.  It  is  often, 
however,  a  work  of  judgment,  preparing  the 
way  for  condemnation  and  punishment.  Thus, 
the  worshippers  of  Jehovah  are  represented 
as  saying,  "  If  we  have  forgotten  the  name  of 
our  God,  or  stretched  out  our  hands  to  a 
strange  God;  shall  not  God  search  this  out? 
for  he  knoweth  the  secrets  of  the  heart."  And 
Job,  in  replying  to  his  three  friends,  says, 
after  they  had  in  their  own  way  professed  to 
vindicate  the  procedure  of  the  Almighty, 
*'  Will  ye  speak  wickedly  for  God?  and  talk 
deceitfully  for  him  ?  Will  ye  accept  his  per- 
son ?  will  ye  contend  for  God  ?  Is  it  good 
that  he  should  search  you  out?"  Job  xiii.  7 — 9 
And  what  are  the   means  which  God  em- 


WAl-CHFULNESS.  263 

ploys  in  conducting  examinations  of  this  kind  ? 
As  it  is  of  his  administration  in  the  present 
world  only  that  we  speak,  we  may  reply,  that 
it  is  accomphshed  by  the  dispensations  of 
providence.  These  may  be  of  such  a  kind, 
as  to  bring  to  the  remembrance  of  an  indivi- 
dual, sins  which  he  had  long  ago  committed, 
and  which  were  either  entirely  forgotten,  or 
very  little  attended  to.  This  seems  to  have 
been  the  case  with  Job,  when  he  says, ''  Thou 
inquirest  after  mine  iniquity,  and  searchest 
after  my  sin."  And  again,  "  Thou  makest  me 
to  possess  the  iniquities  of  my  youth."  Job  x. 
6.  The  dealings  of  divine  providence  towards 
this  holy  individual  brought  the  transgressions 
of  his  past  life  before  his  view,  and  made  him 
feel  as  if  the  eye  of  God  were  more  especially 
fixed  upon  them.  Another  remarkable  ex- 
ample of  this  is  supplied  by  the  language  of 
Moses,  in  Psa.  xc. ;  but  in  order  to  appreciate 
it  aright,  we  must  give  a  moment's  attention 
to  the  circumstances  in  which  he  and  the  peo- 
ple of  Israel  were  placed.  When  the  people 
sinned  in  the  matter  of  the  golden  calf  at  Ho- 
reb,  and  Moses  interceded  in  their  behalf  with 
so  much  earnestness,  it  was  said  for  his  en- 
couragement, "  Go  lead  the  people  unto  the 
place  of  which  I  have  spoken  unto  thee ;  be- 
hold mine  angel  shall  go  before  thee ;"  but  it 
was  at  the  same  time  added,  "  Nevertheless, 
in  the  day  when  I  visit,  I  will  visit  their  sin 
upon  them."  Exod.  xxxii.  34.  Not  long  after- 
wards the  people  were  conducted  to  the  very 
borders  of  the  land  of  promise,  but  on  account 


264  WATCHFULNESS. 

of  the  report  brought  by  the  spies,  they  refus- 
ed to  go  up  and  possess  the  land.  On  this 
account  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindlea 
against  them,  and  he  declared  that  their  car- 
cases should  fall  in  the  wilderness,  in  which 
they  were  doomed  to  wander  for  forty  years, 
till  they  should  be  consumed.  It  is  under- 
stood to  have  been  on  this  occasion  that  Mo- 
ses wrote  the  psalm  we  have  mentioned,  in 
which,  among  other  things,  he  says,  "  Thou 
hast  set  our  iniquities  before  thee,  our  secret 
sins  in  the  light  of  thy  countenance."  Psa.  xc. 
8.  The  idolatry  at  Horeb,  and  even  the  se- 
cret transgressions  of  the  people,  were  had  in 
remembrance,  and,  as  it  were,  brought  out  in- 
to view,  when  the  day  of  retribution  arrived. 
God,  by  his  providence,  not  only  brings  sin 
to  remembrance,  but  also  brings  into  view 
our  true  character  by  showing  what  is  in  us. 
We  do  not  know  the  character  of  any  one 
till  it  is  tried,  and  God  can  so  deal  with  us, 
placing  us  sometimes  in  prosperity,  a1  other 
times  in  adversity,  now  gratifying  our  wishes, 
and  again  disappointing  them,  as  to  bring 
into  view  the  various  dispositions,  and  even 
the  most  secret  principles  of  the  heart.  This 
was  one  purpose  that  was  served  by  his 
dealings  with  Israel  in  the  wilderness :  "  Thou 
shalt  remember  all  the  way  which  the  Lord 
thy  God  led  thee  these  forty  years  in  the  wil- 
derness, to  humble  thee,  and  to  prove  thee,  to 
know  what  was  in  thine  heart."  Deut.  viii.  2. 
It  is  the  same  idea,  although  in  a  very  differ- 
ent connection,  to  which  allusion  is  made  in 


WATCHFULNESS.  265 

what  is  said  of  Moab  by  the  mouth  of  Jere- 
miah, "  Moab  hath  been  at  ease  from  his 
youth,  and  he  hath  settled  on  his  lees,  and 
hath  not  been  emptied  from  vessel  to  vessel." 
Jer.  xlviii.  11.  These  dealins^s  of  God  with 
his  creatures  are  of  much  importance,  in 
connection  with  the  duty  of  watchfulness,  to 
which  our  attention  has  in  this  chapter  been 
directed.  They  afford  an  opportunity  of  ob- 
serving what  is  in  our  hearts,  and  of  obtaining 
a  true  acquaintance  with  ourselves.  They 
show  that  whether  or  not  we  shut  our  eyes  to 
our  own  character  and  habits,  they  are  per- 
fectly known  to  God,  and  whenever  he 
pleases,  he  can  expose  them  to  the  view  of 
the  world.  If  we  will  judge  ourselves,  we 
shall  not  be  judged. 


23 


CHAPTER  XII. 


CONCLUSION. 


The  importance  of  the  subject  treated  in  the 
preceding  pages  cannot  well  be  over  estima- 
ted. One  circumstance  which  shows  this  is, 
that  perseverance  in  the  duties  of  secret  de- 
votion supplies  an  evidence  of  Christian  char- 
acter. In  defending  himself  from  the  charge 
of  hypocrisy  which  had  been  brought  against 
him  by  his  friends,  we  find  Job  asking, 
**  What  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite  ?  will  he 
delight  himself  in  the  Almighty?  will  he 
always  call  upon  God?"  Job  xxvii.  8,  10. — 
See  a  sermon  by  President  Edwards  upon 
this  text.  The  hypocrite  may  call  upon  God 
for  a  time,  but  he  will  not  do  so  always ;  he 
will  not  persevere.  The  motives  which  lead 
him  to  pray  in  the  hearing  of  others  or  to 
unite  in  public  worsh  p  although  of  a  selfish 
and  worldly  kind,  have  nevertheless  a  certain 
description  of  substance  and  power  which 
may  ensure  his  continuing  to  attend  to  out- 
ward duty ;  but  the  emotions  which  prompted 
him  to  secret  prayer,  were  never  any  thing 
but  spurious  and  consequently  evanescent. 
Having  never  possessed  the  spirit  of  prayer, 
he  is  a  stranger  to  the  spirit  of  adoption,  and 
is  still  at  heart  an  alien  from  God.  Being  still 
266 


CONCLUSION.  267 

self-dependent,  he  has  never  felt  his  need  of 
living  by  faith  upon  Christ.  The  power  of 
sin,  never  having  been  really  destroyed  in  his 
heart,  returns  vv^ith  fresh  vigour  under  cover 
of  the  false  hopes  he  has  brought  himself  to 
cherish.  He  never,  so  to  speak,  counted  the 
cost  of  perseverance  in  seeking  God,  nor  was 
he  ever  prepared  for  the  life  of  care,  watch- 
fulness, and  labour,  v^hich  this  implies.  He 
has  no  proper  interest  in  those  promises  in 
which  God  has  assured  his  people  that  they 
shall  be  upheld  and  all  their  wants  supplied ; 
he  has  never  felt  the  value  of  such  promises, 
nor  is  he  at  all  accustomed  to  rely  upon  them. 
In  these  circumstances  it  cannot  seem  strange 
that  he  should  gradually  leave  off  the  practice 
of  secret  prayer,  and  insensibly  come  to  do 
so  without  disturbing  his  peace.  Nay,  per- 
haps, we  might  go  farther,  and  say  that  this 
is  ordinarily  the  case  with  those  who  have 
had  convictions  of  sin,  but  have  never  come 
the  length  of  true  conversion. 

The  wickedness  of  restraining  prayer  be- 
fore God,  must  be  very  highly  aggravated. 
One  of  the  names  by  which  God  is  known  is 
the  Hearer  of  prayer.  Says  David,  "  O  thou 
that  hearest  prayer,  unto  thee  shall  all  flesh 
come."  Psalm  Ixv.  2.  By  this  as  much  as 
by  a^y  thing  else,  Jehovah  the  God  of  Israel 
was  distinguished  from  the  gods  of  the  hea- 
then. To  this  test  the  worshippers  of  Baal 
were  brought,  and  by  it  the  folly  of  their 
worship  demonstrated,  when  they  called  out 


268  CONCLUSION. 

from  morning  till  noon,  "  O  Baal,  hear  us ! 
but  there  was  no  voice  nor  any  that  ans- 
wered;" whilst  Elijah  tauntingly  replied, 
*'  Cry  aloud,  for  he  is  a  god."  1  Kings  xviii. 
26,  27.  What  infinite  condescension  has  the 
Most  High  manifested,  in  making  it  known 
to  us  that  he  is  eminently  a  God  that  hears 
prayer !  He  gives  us  free  access  to  him  at 
all  times,  although  so  infinitely  exalted,  that 
he  humbleth  himself  to  look  upon  the  things 
that  are  in  heaven.  He  is  well  pleased  to  be 
addressed  by  the  needy  and  the  helpless,  and 
allows  any  degree  of  importunity  that  may  be 
prompted  by  honest  desire.  "  Ye  that  make 
mention  of  the  Lord,  keep  not  silence,  and 
give  him  no  rest."  Isaiah  Ixii.  6,  7.  Jacob 
was  permitted  to  wrestle  with  the  angel  Je- 
hovah, and  to  say,  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go, 
except  thou  bless  me."  Genesis  xxxii.  26. 
Our  Lord  speaks  with  approbation  of  those 
by  whom  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffers  vio- 
lence, and  who,  as  it  were,  take  it  by  force ; 
and  his  own  conduct  among  the  poor  and  the 
diseased,  furnishes  a  most  encouraging  illus- 
tration of  the  efficacy  of  prayer.  The  blind 
men  by  the  way-side  were  rebuked  by  the 
multitude  on  account  of  their  importunaxe 
and  unceasing  cries,  but  Jesus  did  not  rebuke 
them.  "  What  will  ye  that  I  should  do  unto 
you?"  was  his  answer;  and  upon  receiving 
their  request,  he  graciously  and  immediately 
granted  it.  Now,  whilst  all  this  is  full  of  en- 
couragement to  those  who  live  by  prayer,  ii 


CONCLUSION.  269 

manifests  in  a  very  aggravated  light  the  guilt 
and  ingratitude  of  those  who  neglect  or  dis- 
continue this  duty.  It  is  disregarding  the 
kindness,  despising  the  mercy,  trampUng  under 
foot  the  infinite  love,  the  divine  condescension, 
of  the  ever  blessed  Jehovah.  And  how  caa 
it  fail  to  incur  the  most  terrible  doom  !  "  Be- 
cause I  have  called,  and  ye  refused ;  I  have 
stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded ; 
I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity;  I  will 
mock  when  your  fear  cometh ;  when  your 
fear  cometh  as  desolation,  and  your  destruc- 
tion cometh  as  a  whirlwind ;  when  distress 
and  anguish  cometh  upon  you  ;  then  shall  they 
call  upon  me,  but  I  will  not  answer;  they 
shall  seek  me  early,  but  they  shall  not  find 
me."     Proverbs  i.  24,  26,  27,  28. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  for  even  the  most 
pious  and  holy  to  meditate  upon  this  subject 
without  awakening  the  reflection,  how  much 
better  it  might  in  many  ways  have  been  for 
them  had  they  been  more  attentive  to  this 
duty.  How  much  have  we  all  lost  by  neglect 
of  prayer !  How  much  mental  culture,  how 
much  inward  peace  and  comfort,  how  many 
opportunities  of  improvement  to  ourselves  and 
of  usefulness  to  others  !  It  is  impossible  to 
estimate  the  sacrifice  incurred,  the  injury  sus- 
tained, by  giving  way  to  sloth,  and  allowing 
the  solicitations  of  business  or  pleasure  to 
withdraw  us  from  intercourse  with  God. 
Let  it  be  considered  for  a  moment  how  great 
things  God  has  often  done  in  answer  to  prayer. 
23* 


270  CONCLUSION. 

When  Jacob  was  informed  that  Esau  was 
coming  to  meet  him,  with  an  army  of  four 
hundred  men,  all  helpless  as  he  and  his  family 
were,  he  prayed  in  his  distress,  and  God 
heard  him,  and  averted  the  danger  by  turning 
the  heart  of  Esau  from  revenge  to  kindness. 
In  answer  to  the  prayer  of  Moses,  God  sent- 
plagues  upon  Egypt,  and  again  removed 
them.  At  the  prayer  of  Joshua  the  sun  stood 
still  upon  Gibeon,  and  the  moon  in  the  valley 
of  Ajalon.  "  Elijah  was  a  man  of  like  pas- 
sions with  others,  and  he  prayed  earnestly 
that  it  might  not  rain ;  and  it  rained  not  on 
the  earth  by  the  space  of  three  years  and  six 
months."  James  v.  17,  18.  The  army  of 
Zerah  the  Ethiopian  was  confounded  in  ans- 
wer to  the  prayer  of  Asa ;  2  Chron.  xiv.  9. 
and  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  Hezekiah,  God 
sent  an  angel  and  slew  in  one  night  a  hun- 
dred and  eighty  five  thousand  men  in  the 
camp  of  the  Assyrians.  2  Kings  xix.  35. 
True  we  live  not  now  in  the  age  of  miracles  ; 
but  the  honour  which  God  has  put  on  the 
prayers  of  his  servants  is  intended  for  the  in- 
struction of  men  under  every  dispensation. 
It  is  still  as  certain  as  it  ever  was  that  God 
will  give  all  good  things  to  them  that  ask 
him. 

Does  any  one  ask  why  God  requires  prayer 

in  order  to  the  bestow ment  of  mercies?     To 

enter  upon  this  subject  at  any  length,  would 

not  suit  the  limits  of  these  concluding  obser- 

ations.     It  has  already  been  mentioned  that 


CONCLUSION.  271 

he  knows  our  wants  infinitely  better  than  we 
do  ourselves ;  so  it  is  evidently  not  to  obtain 
information  that  he  directs  us  to  pray  to  him. 
But  we  may  be  assured  that  wise  and  merci- 
ful purposes  are  served  by  this  arrangement. 
We  are  thus  reminded  of  our  necessities,  and 
prepared  for  receiving  the  blessings  which  he 
confers.  His  great  name  is  also  honoured  by 
the  exercise  of  that  dependence,  on  the  part 
of  the  creature,  which  is  implied  in  prayer. 
It  is,  however,  enough  for  us  to  know  that  it 
is  the  will  of  God  to  bestow  mercy  in  answer 
to  prayer ;  and  that  even  in  cases  where  the 
blessings  conferred  had  been  expressly  fore- 
told. In  reference  to  the  favour  yet  in  store 
for  the  church,  he  has  both  given  direct  pro- 
mises, and,  at  the  same  time,  intimations  that 
those  promises  shall  be  accomplished  through 
granting  an  answer  to  the  prayers  of  his  peo- 
ple. In  short,  God,  in  arranging  his  purposes 
of  mercy,  has  been  pleased  so  to  honour  the 
supplications  of  man,  as  to  constitute  them  a 
part  of  his  plan,  and  to  give  them  a  place  an- 
tecedent to  the  actual  bestowment  of  grace. 

Perhaps  some  may  imagine  that  a  life  of 
prayer  such  as  that  of  which  we  have  spoken, 
encourages  an  ascetic  temper,  is  unfavourable 
to  habits  of  activity,  and  renders  a  man  unfit 
for  the  society  of  his  fellow-creatures,  or  even 
for  performing  the  common  duties  of  hfe. 
Two  classes  of  persons  may  take  this  view, 
those  who  would  make  it  an  objection  to  de- 
votional exercises,  and  those  who  may  wish 


272 


CONCLUSION. 


to  retire  from  the  world  under  pretence  of  a 
desire  for  superior  sanctity.  Both  are  exceed- 
ingly in  error.  There  is  a  wide  difference  be- 
tween superstition  and  piety.  The  former 
springs  from  selfishness,  the  latter  from  love 
to  God ;  the  former  closes  the  heart,  the  latter 
opens  it ;  the  former  is  gloomy  and  slothful, 
the  latter  is  cheerful  and  active.  Superstitious 
observances  are  always  attended  by  a  legal 
spirit,  and  are  fitted  to  cherish  pride,  self-con- 
fidence, and  uncharitableness :  true  devotion 
is  evangelical,  humble,  dependent  upon  God, 
and  preparative  for  every  good  work.  Whilst 
therefore  superstition  or  enthusiasm,  (for  we 
wait  not  at  present  to  distinguish  the  various 
forms  of  spurious  devotion,)  do  certainly  en- 
courage a  meditative,  unsocial,  and  inactive 
disposition ;  genuine  devotional  sentiments  and 
exercises  produce  a  state  of  mind  which  qua- 
lifies for  activity,  self-denial,  and  persevering 
exertion.  Prayer  is  an  exercise  which  is  not 
rightly  engaged  in  unless  the  mind  is  fully 
employed  with  it,  and  the  very  mental  effort 
which  it  requires,  and  the  successful  resistance 
of  indolence  and  renunciation  of  self  which 
perseverance  in  it  implies,  produce  the  most 
healthful  influence  upon  all  the  active  powers. 
But  apart  from  these  considerations,  the  man 
of  devout  habits  knows  that  the  God  whom  he 
serves  requires  other  duties  besides  those  which 
belong  to  the  immediate  exercises  of  worship; 
and  that  one  of  the  very  things  for  which  it 
becomes  him  to  pray,  is  that  he  may  receive 


CONCLUSION.  273 

grace  to  perform  with  diligence  and  fidelity 
every  duty  belonging  to  his  station.  It  impHes 
sad  mismanagenaent,  and  want  of  economy,  to 
neglect  prayer  on  the  pretence  of  the  number 
or  importance  of  other  engagements ;  and  it 
is  equally  far  from  being  wise  or  proper  to 
omit  any  of  the  ordinary  duties  of  life,  or  to 
fail  in  giving  the  necessary  attention  to  worldly 
business,  on  the  ground  of  a  desire  to  give  the 
whole  mind  to  devotion. 

One  reason  why  the  harmony  between  se- 
cret devotion  and  active  duties  is  so  indistinctly 
perceived,  is  to  be  found  in  the  unbelief  of  the 
heart,  and  those  consequent  unworthy  thoughts 
of  God  which  throw  doubts  upon  the  kindness, 
the  generosity,  the  mercy,  and  even  the  sin- 
cerity, of  the  gospel  offer.  In  his  approaches 
to  God  the  fear  of  the  worshipper  often  pre- 
dominates over  love ;  and  our  heavenly  Father 
is  supposed  to  be  unwilling  to  grant  the  bless- 
ings which  are  asked,  until  he  is  reluctantly 
prevailed  upon  by  importunity  and  persever- 
ance. The  depression  and  estrangement  which 
are  thus  perpetuated,  destroy  the  life  and  en- 
joyment of  prayer  and  of  every  other  duty. 
Let  the  serious  reader  believe  that  far  other- 
wise, indeed,  are  the  facts  of  the  case.  Ve- 
hemence and  earnestness  on  our  part,  are 
permitted  and  encouraged,  and  are  full  of  ad- 
vantage to  ourselves ;  but  never,  never,  let  it 
be  forgotten,  that  in  the  whole  controversy 
between  God  and  sinners,  the  unwillingness  to 
be  reconciled  is  not  on  his  side,  but  on  theirs. 


274  CONCLUSION. 

There  is  no  one  blessing,  nothing  that  is  really 
for  our  good,  that  is  withheld  one  moment 
longer  than  we  are  truly  willing  to  receive  it. 
If  this  were  cordially  believed,  it  would  give 
warmth  to  our  gratitude,  and  kindliness  to  all 
our  conceptions  of  that  great  Being  who  is 
infinitely  worthy  of  our  love ;  and  it  would 
infuse  a  new  and  healthy  element,  at  once,  into 
our  devotions  and  labours. 

Although  many  of  the  observations  in  the 
preceding  chapters  take  for  granted  the  greater 
danger  of  neglecting  secret  prayer  than  public 
or  even  domestic  worship ;  yet  would  we  be 
far  from  encouraging  those  who  make  their 
personal  devotions  an  excuse  for  neglecting 
either  the  public  ordinances,  or  the  devotions 
of  the  more  private  circle.  Great  as  the  ad- 
vantages are  which  attend  secret  intercourse 
with  God,  it  is  not  to  be  forgotten  that  all  the 
other  means  of  grace  have  their  advantages 
too,  and  that  attention  to  them  is  of  indispens- 
able importance.  The  person  who  is  truly  in 
earnest  about  the  welfare  of  his  soul,  will  feel 
that  he  cannot  afford  to  neglect  any  opportu- 
nity of  waiting  upon  God.  Moreover,  the 
duties  of  the  closet  are  in  many  ways  fitted  to 
prepare  the  heart  for  the  exercises  of  the  sanc- 
tuary ;  and  the  latter  in  their  turn  produce  a 
favourable  influence  upon  the  former.  As  no 
one  can  derive  the  full  benefit  of  public  ordi- 
nances who  is  not  personally  a  man  of  prayer, 
so  no  one  can  maintain  a  life  of  fellowship 
with  God  in  secret  who  disregards  the  privi 


CONCLUSION.  275 

leges  of  the  house  of  God.  It  was  the  man 
who  in  his  retirement  offered  praise  seven 
times  a  day,  and  who  meditated  on  the  divine 
law  by  day  and  by  night,  who  said,  "  How 
amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts ! 
my  soul  longeth,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts 
of  the  Lord."     Psalm  Ixxxiv.  1,  2. 

Ther^  are  some  who  seem  to  think  that  in 
order  to  maintain  a  Hfe  of  devotion  it  is  neces- 
sary to  abstain  from  taking  any  part  in  those 
public  questions,  political  and  ecclesiastical, 
by  which  the  world  is  agitated.  This  opinion 
is  founded  on  the  same  kind  of  mistake  with 
some  of  those  incorrect  views  to  which  we 
have  just  been  alluding.  That  much  strife 
and  discussion  have  often  arisen  from  ques- 
tions in  themselves  frivolous,  is  certain ;  and 
that  zeal  for  truth  has  frequently  been  only  a 
pretext  for  the  indulgence  of  earthly  and  sel- 
fish passions  is  undeniable.  But  to  infer  from 
this  that  the  Christian  should  make  it  a  rule 
to  shut  his  eyes  and  his  heart  to  all  that  is 
passing  around  him,  would  be  to  require  him 
to  act  a  part  not  more  inconsistent  with  the 
demands  of  patriotism  and  philanthropy,  than 
at  variance  with  his  duty  as  a  citizen  of  Zion 
and  his  allegiance  to  the  Prince  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth.  In  this,  as  in  all  other  cases, 
secret  prayer,  instead  of  withdrawing  a  man 
from  his  duty,  will  prepare  him  for  discharg- 
ing it ;  and  by  bringing  him  into  contact  with 
the  fountain  of  light  and  truth,  it  will  give 
clearness  to  his  understanding,  and  purity  to 


276  CONCLUSION. 

his  motives.  It  is  not  because  we  are  too 
prayerful,  it  is  because  we  are  not  prayerful 
enough,  that  we  are  so  little  qualified  to  take 
part  in  the  public  interests  of  the  church  and 
the  world.  It  has  been  said  that  Luther 
was  accustomed  to  spend  three  hours  daily 
in  prayer,  at  the  very  time  when  he  was  con- 
ducting that  movement  which  shook  Christen- 
dom to  its  centre,  and  which  awakened  the 
human  mind  from  the  slumber  of  ages. 


THE   END. 


DATE  DUE 

r,     fis'-^iv^. 

;/•*      '<: 

* 

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